Parapsychology

Parapsychology is the scientific study of paranormal or psychic phenomena, including extrasensory perception (ESP) and psychokinesis (PK). The field emerged from earlier psychical research, which began in the late 1700s with the study of "Mesmeric trance" (hypnosis) and the psi abilities observed in hypnotized individuals. The 19th century saw a craze over "spiritism" and "spiritualism," with mediums claiming to communicate with the supernatural, leading to considerable psychological and psychiatric research into these phenomena.¹ The Geneva psychologist Theodore Flournoy studied the medium Hélène Smith in his 1899 book From India to the Planet Mars, in which he coined the term cryptomnesia.²

In the modern era, parapsychology, particularly through the work of J. B. Rhine at the Duke University Parapsychology Laboratory, sought to bring scientific rigor to the study of psi. Rhine focused on statistical evidence from experiments like card-guessing and dice-throwing, moving away from the theatrical displays of mediums. This approach led to the establishment of parapsychology as an academic discipline, with its main professional organization, the Parapsychological Association, being admitted to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1969, partly due to the support of figures like Margaret Mead.¹

Despite these efforts, parapsychology has largely remained outside mainstream science, facing an "informal system of scientific apartheid." Critics often point to the lack of tangible, real-world applications and the reliance on statistical evidence as reasons for its marginalization. However, government-sponsored research, such as the Grill Flame program, explored the practical applications of psi, particularly remote viewing, for intelligence gathering, often keeping such findings classified due to their controversial nature.¹