Parapsychology

Question 1

Define “para”.

Answer 1

Can mean beside, beyond, resembling defective/abnormal, against.

Psychology of the weird and strange.

Question 2

What is an extra sensory perception?

Answer 2

Sensing things with the mind e.g. telepathy and psychokinesis.

Question 3

Is parapsychology a taboo?

Answer 3

• Subjective.
• Cultural belief system.
• Personal.
• Not amenable to scientific study.

Question 4

How does James’ view parapsychology?

Answer 4

“Religious beliefs are satisfying”.

“Mystical experiences help understand people”.

Question 5

Explain James’ subjectivity.

Answer 5

• Philosophical pragmatism - the function of a thought is not to represent or mirror reality but instead is a tool to predict the future, take action and solve problems.
• Truth is subjective.

Question 6

Explain James’ functionalism.

Answer 6

• Wholeness of an event.
• Radical empiricism - completely objective truth is impossible to measure - the act of measurement will alter the “truth” it seems to uncover.

Question 7

What chain did James come up with to explain thoughts?

Answer 7

Information - Consciousness - Action.

Question 8

What was Watson’s view on Behaviourism?

Answer 8

Psychology should study observable behaviour only.

Direct link between events and behaviour e.g. Albert and the white rat.

Question 9

What was Skinner’s view on behaviourism?

Answer 9

Free will is an illusion.

All behaviour is the result of the consequences of that behaviour (reinforcement).

Question 10

How did Skinner explain thought through a chain?

Answer 10

Stimulus - Response.

Question 11

What percentage of Americans are superstitious to some degree?

Answer 11

53% - Gallup Org 1996.

Question 12

What are the impact of “lucky events” on people’s lives?

Answer 12

Lucky events = dramatic effect, improving their good fortune.

Question 13

What is the explanation for “touch wood”, walking under a ladder and 13 being an unlucky number?

Answer 13

Touch wood - elicit help from the tree gods (Paganism).

13 - 13 people at the last supper.

Ladder - holy trinity shape made, walking through breaks that and results in ill fortune.

Question 14

What did Levin find about superstition?

Answer 14

Black vs White Cats - no effect on luck for a coin toss.

Question 15

What did Wiseman believe about luck?

Answer 15

• That you must create your own luck.
• Skilled at creating and noticing chance and opportunities.
• Must listen to your intuition.
• Self fulfilling prophecies - positivity,
• Adopt resilient attitude can transform bad luck into good.
• If you believe you’re unlucky you are more tense and unable to notice the unexpected.

Question 16

Explain the subliminal priming experiment involving Prediction.

Answer 16

• 2 identical pictures.
• Negative picture subliminally on left or right.
• Predictable that the negative picture was chosen less.

Question 17

What is memory?

Answer 17

• Both constructive and reconstructive.

Question 18

How does the DRM test link to alien abduction?

Answer 18

• The more errors found in the DMR test the more likely the subject is to have memories of alien abduction.

Question 19

Define precognition.

Answer 19

• 9 classic experimental tasks.

- 1000 participants claimed to show future prediction.

Question 20

Explain horoscopes and the Barnum or Forer effect.

Answer 20

• Tendancy to believe vague, generic statements about themselves.
• E.g. Snyder and Shenel 1975 Horoscopes - all believed vague comments related to them.

Question 21

Define Clairvoyance.

Answer 21

Clear sight.

Question 22

Summarise parapsychology.

Answer 22

1. Psychological mechanisms underly paranormal experiences.
2. Interesting insight into how the brain processes information.
3. Strange and weird receives attention whereas debunking these claims, does not.