Parapsychology is the scientific and scholarly study of certain unusual events associated with human experience.
A long-held, common-sense assumption is that the worlds of the subjective and objective are completely distinct, with no overlap. Subjective is "here, in the head," and objective is "there, out in the world." Parapsychology is the study of phenomena suggesting that the strict subjective/objective dichotomy may instead be part of a spectrum, with some phenomena occasionally falling between purely subjective and purely objective. We call such phenomena "anomalous" because they are difficult to explain within current scientific models.
These anomalies fall into three general categories: extra sensory perception, psychokinesis, and phenomena suggestive of survival after bodily death, including near-death experiences, apparitions, and reincarnation. Most parapsychologists today expect that further research will eventually explain these anomalies in scientific terms, although it is not clear whether they can be fully understood without significant (some might say revolutionary) expansions of the current state of scientific knowledge. Other researchers take the stance that existing scientific models of perception and memory are adequate to explain some or all parapsychological phenomena.
tayki_hanson
2007-01-02 00:35:54 UTC
As far as my mind knows, it is involved with the study of unexplained things that are usually ESPs. In short words, the study that involves the supernatural forces. Freaky though....I'd never study parapsychology
?
2007-01-01 21:51:44 UTC
James Randi in Fort Lauderdale has been researching this for years.It is answering the unknowing aspect of some topic that cannot be resoved by normal scientific means. "Phenomena " is sometimes known by explanations that appeal to reasonableness to the extent that it's better than any other answer to the questioning perceptor. In short, a study that answers curiousity with reasonable authority and definition to the exclusion of known science. Keep in mind that psychology is itself not an exact "science."
Includes telekinesis, time travel, mind-reading, past lives, even crystal balls, abilities of wizards, witches, occult phenomena, wicca, why Stonehenge is there, the power of pyramids, et. al.
Tony H
2007-01-01 09:26:41 UTC
It's the branch in psychology that handles the "paranormal" aspect of the psyche. This doesn't mean that parapsychology is sympathetic to paranormal activity, but means that these psychologists investigate and explain things like psychic abilities, clairvoyance, telepathy, extrasensory perception, out of body experiences, etc.
hznfrst
2007-01-01 15:02:52 UTC
A pretend science indulged in by fools who think they can arrive at answers to big questions without working too hard. These "researchers" are doomed to failure because they will not accept that their premise of "psychic phenomena" being real just might be false!