Articles
Preliminary Findings - February 2008**
The Nature Incidence and Impact of Parapsychological Phenomena
(by permission of Rosemary Breen)
Background
This study is based on a survey conducted over the Internet
during the last three months of 2006. The anonymous questionnaire
gathered qualitative and quantitative data on spontaneous
paranormal experiences. In particular, it covered ten categories
of parapsychological phenomena which are listed below. Over
4,000 surveys were lodged but some were either incomplete,
lodged by people under 18 years of age, or by those who
had not experienced the paranormal. These surveys were set
aside, leaving a final sample size of 3,194 paranormal experients.
Of the final sample:
• 62% were females
• the dominant age groups were the 18-35 year olds
(45%) and the 36-55 year olds (43%)
• the four most highly represented countries were
USA (62%), Australia (15%), UK (8%), and Canada (7%)
• in total, 59 countries were represented
The aim of the exploratory study was to
address three specific research questions:
• what is the nature and incidence of spontaneous
parapsychological phenomena?
• how do paranormal experiences impact on the experients?
• what personal meaning do experients ascribe to their
paranormal experiences?
Quantitative Findings
• the most commonly reported phenomenon was deja vu,
which was reported by 90% of the paranormal
experients
• this was followed by premonitions (79%), apparitions
(68%), telepathy (66%), out-of-body experiences (56%),
reincarnations (44%), psychokinesis (36%), auras (34%),
and mediumship (26%). The least frequently reported
experience was a near-death episode (14%)
• there was a significant difference in the level
of incidence of paranormal experience in favour of females
• the trend was for paranormal experients to encounter
multiple experiences of the same phenomena
• on average parapsychological experients reported
five multiple types of phenomena
• there were variations in the level of paranormal
phenomena reported by residents of the four major contributing
countries
• at least one in ten of every first encounter of
every type of phenomenon occurred before the age of six
years
• 30% of all first experiences, of eight of the ten
types of phenomenon, happened before adolescence
• more than 50% of all first experiences, of eight
of the ten types of phenomenon, were experienced before
adulthood. The exceptions were auras and mediumship.
Qualitative Data
• nearly 70% of the survey respondents agreed with
the statement: the paranormal has existed for so long that
it should be investigated
• 70% of the experients answered Yes to the question:
has your experience of the paranormal changed your attitude
to life? The biggest effects noted were on the experients
‘themselves’, on their attitude to ‘life
after death’, the ‘whole meaning of life question’
and their ‘attitude to death itself’
• most experients regarded the paranormal as a positive
influence in their lives but some linked their parapsychological
experiences with their own experiences of abuse and trauma,
and feelings of loneliness,
isolation, and difference. Few experients regarded the paranormal
as ‘evil’, of ‘little value to us’,
or ‘nonsense’
• a number of themes emerged about what causes the
paranormal including religious and spiritual manifestations,scientific
explanations, and references to spiritualism, genealogy,
and gender
Conclusion
The preliminary findings of the study are that paranormal
experiences:
• are predominantly life affirming
• indicate national variations
• are reported by more females than males
• can be first experienced at a very early age
• can be encountered throughout life
• can be experienced multiple times and in multiple
forms by experients.
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