Parapsychology

Parapsychology is the field that studies alleged psychic phenomena that lie outside the ordinary range of physical or biological mechanisms as currently understood by science. The main domains traditionally investigated include extrasensory perception (ESP), such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition; and psychokinesis, the claimed influence of mind on physical systems. In addition, some researchers explore phenomena related to survival after death, near-death experiences, and claims of reincarnation. Methods span laboratory experiments and controlled field studies, as well as case investigations and surveys. Researchers employ various procedures, including standardized protocols, randomization, and blinding, and often analyze data with meta-analytic techniques to assess overall patterns.

Historically, modern parapsychology emerged in the late 19th century with the establishment of research societies such as the Society for Psychical Research in the United Kingdom and similar groups elsewhere. In the United States, J. B. Rhine and colleagues at Duke University popularized experimental approaches to ESP in the 1930s and introduced the term psi for these purported phenomena. The field gained further attention through mid- to late-20th-century programs such as Ganzfeld experiments and investigations into experiences surrounding death and alleged survival.

Reception and status: Parapsychology remains controversial within the scientific community. While some researchers report small, statistically significant effects under certain conditions, mainstream science generally regards the evidence as inconclusive or not robust enough to establish the reality of psi phenomena. Critics point to methodological flaws, replication failures, and publication biases. Proponents argue for continued, transparent, preregistered research using rigorous controls to clarify the existence and nature of any anomalous experiences.