From the perspective of modern neuroscience all behaviors and all experiences are created by the dynamic matrix of chemical and electromagnetic events within the human brain. Paranormal experiences might be considered a subset of these neurogenic processes. Experiences that are labeled as or attributed to paranormal phenomena 1) are frequently dominated by a sensed presence, 2) appear to involv...

This paper describes two experiments which investigate how believers in the paranormal (labelled 'Sheep') and disbelievers (labelled 'Goats') recall different aspects of pseudo-psychic demonstrations (i.e., conjuring tricks that can be misinterpreted as genuine psychic phenomena). In both experiments Ss were first shown a videotape containing pseudo-psychic trickery. They were then asked to rat...

There seem to be three major lines of argument against the reality of the paranormal (psi): the a priori improbability argument, the lack of evidence argument, and the evolutionary argument. The evolutionary argument states that if the various paranormal powers or faculties were real ways of acquiring information and affecting the outside world, such abilities would have been vastly improved by...

Few studies have explored personality traits to explain paranormal experiences, so it is not surprising that connections remain to be made between such experiences and a person's temperament. The aim of this study is to compare the frequency of paranormal experiences across four temperament groups. Questionnaires that included the standarized Spanish version of the Eysenck Personality Inventory...

Paranormal beliefs and experiences are associated with certain personality factors, including absorption, fantasy proneness, and the Myers-Briggs intuition and feeling personality dimensions. Skepticism appears to be associated with materialistic, rational, pragmatic personality types. Attitude toward psi may also be influenced by motivations to have control and efficacy, to have a sense of mea...