Reality and imagination: A psi-conducive confusion?

Author(s): Rose, N.

Journal/Book: J Parapsychol. 1997; 61: PO Box 6847, College Station, Durham, NC 27708. Parapsychology Press. 321-335.

Abstract: Psychic experiences are frequently reported to occur in situations or states of consciousness in which reality and imagination are confused. This maybe either because such confusions lead people to mistake normal events for paranormal ones, or because psi is facilitated in some way by the uncertainty. On the former hypothesis, we would expect experiencers and believers in the paranormal to be more prone to such confusions. On the latter we would expect reality-imagination confusions to be psi-conducive. An experimental procedure was designed to induce false memories for pictures of objects. Thirty-three subjects were shown slides of some objects and were asked to imagine others. They also completed the Belief in the Paranormal Scale. Over a three-week period, they were questioned about the objects: and were finally asked whether they had seen them or only imagined them. Through the use of a novel method of testing for psi, half the imagined objects, randomly chosen for each subject, were used as targets in a clairvoyance task. There was no correlation between the number of false memories and the Belief in the Paranormal score. There were significantly more false memories on target objects than nontarget objects. This suggests that confusing reality and imagination may be psi-conducive.

Note: Article Blackmore SJ, Univ W England, Dept Psychol, Bristol BS16 2JP, Avon, ENGLAND

Keyword(s): PARANORMAL BELIEF SCALE; SLEEP PARALYSIS; HYPNOSIS

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