Empirical Research and Paranormal Beliefs: Going beyond the Epistemological Debate in Favour of the Individual

Abstract

A brief look at the empirical literature of the past ten years reveals the clear debate raging over the pertinence of paranormal study to the field of psychology. Each of the arguments put forward by sceptics and believers is the product of the epistemological context in which they find themselves. Each addresses a different issue, using different terminology and different scientific approaches. However, these studies do reveal certain personality traits among paranormal believers who use their paranormal beliefs to exercise mental control and organisation, to cope with and manage anxiety, while moderating this with a certain emotional intelligence. Anxiety could well be a common factor underlying all aspects of the personalities of paranormal believers. It seems necessary therefore to leave psychology out of any epistemological debate, in order to enable the study of how being a paranormal believer helps or hinders the individual and their relationships. Refocusing on the experiences of the individual may provide a consensus for future research in this field.

The Relationship between Paranormal Belief and the hexaco Domains of Personality

“…Following on from Rice's ideas, Mathijsen (2009) argues that the study of paranormal belief often fails to take into account the full nature of the individual involved in that debate. Mathijsen (2009) argues that there needs to be a refocusing on the individual in order to ascertain the extent to which paranormal beliefs influence the life of a person.…”

“…Following on from Rice's ideas, Mathijsen (2009) argues that the study of paranormal belief often fails to take into account the full nature of the individual involved in that debate. Mathijsen (2009) argues that there needs to be a refocusing on the individual in order to ascertain the extent to which paranormal beliefs influence the life of a person. One way to do this could be through exploring the antecedents, correlates and consequences of personality in relation to paranormal beliefs in order to gain a richer picture of the way in which an individual both approaches and adopts paranormal beliefs.…”

Relações entre experiências anômalas tipicamente contemporâneas, transtornos mentais e experiências espirituais

“…De modo relacionado, Mathijsen 19 discute o papel que crenças sobre paranormalidade podem desempenhar como crivos para interpretação de realidades caóticas entre pessoas com tendências esquizotípicas, com consequente ganho em controle mental e organização interna. Por sua vez, Rocha e Fleck 20 apontam associação entre espiritualidade/religiosidade/crenças pessoais e qualidade de vida em diversos aspectos, o que pode mesmo ser considerado no planejamento de intervenções clínicas.…”

Anomalous experiences and schizotypy: which comes first? The Hermit Crab syndrome hypothesis

“…The perception of a rationally aberrant or unexplainable phenomenon (e.g., books thrown from shelves or a glass that moves without being touched) may lead the individual to resort to the irrational, magical, or spiritual (Bentall, Baker, & Havers, 1991;Mathijsen, 2009Mathijsen, , 2012Streib, 2010;Tambiah, 1990) to make sense of what he/she has experienced or perceived. The aim is to reduce cognitive dissonance clashing with the individual's belief system (Baker & Morisson, 1998;Debbané, Van der Linden, Glaser, & Eliez, 2010;Izard, Ackerman, Schoff, & Fine, 2000;Morisson, Haddock & Tarrier, 1995;Vaidis & Halimi-Falkowicz, 2007), to regain a stable paradigm (Lange & Houran, 1999) and through this, escape emotional malaise (Hemsley, 1993;Mathijsen, 2010), as we know that cognitive organisation moderates whether paranormal experiences (PEs) are perceived as positive or not, which enables the individual to integrate them into his or her belief system (Schofield & Claridge, 2007).…”