In Parapsychology, researchers may often use three main explanatory models to understand anomalous experiences (apparitions, telepathy, precognition, near-death visions, or contact experiences). These models may not necessarily compete; some researchers treat them as different explanatory levels.
1. The Psi (Survival / Extrasensory) Model
This could be the traditional parapsychological model.
Core idea:
Some anomalous experiences may involve genuine psi abilities or survival of consciousness beyond the body.
Examples:
- Extrasensory Perception (ESP): telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition
- Psychokinesis (PK): mind influencing matter
- Apparitions of deceased individuals
- Veridical perceptions during Near-Death Experience
Interpretation:
- Consciousness may extend beyond the brain.
- Some experiences may reflect actual information transfer or survival of consciousness after death.
This model is commonly used in:
- survival research
- mediumship studies
- remote viewing research (including protocols such as Controlled Remote Viewing)
2. The Psychological / Experiential Model
This model emphasizes human psychology rather than external paranormal forces.
Core idea:
Many anomalous experiences may arise from normal psychological processes that feel extraordinary.
Key factors studied include:
- Dissociation
- Absorption (psychology) (deep imaginative focus)
- grief-related visions
- sleep paralysis
- hypnagogic imagery
- expectation and belief
Example:
A bereaved person seeing a deceased loved one may be interpreted as a grief-induced perceptual experience, not necessarily a spirit encounter.
This model could overlap with:
- clinical psychology
- cognitive psychology
- trauma research
3. The Experiential / Constructivist Model
This model might focus on how people interpret unusual experiences, regardless of their ultimate cause.
Please note that:
Anomalous experiences may be genuine subjective events, but their meaning is constructed through culture, beliefs, and worldview.
Researchers might study:
- cultural interpretations of visions
- spiritual frameworks
- mythic and symbolic meaning
For example:
- A Christian might interpret a vision as an angel.
- A UFO experiencer might interpret it as extraterrestrial contact.
- A mystic might see it as spiritual awakening.
This model connects with:
- Transpersonal Psychology
- Anthropology
- consciousness studies.
In summary
| Model | Main Explanation | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Psi Model | Real paranormal processes | ESP, survival, PK |
| Psychological Model | Internal mental processes | cognition, perception, grief |
| Constructivist Model | Cultural interpretation of experiences | meaning and worldview |
Interesting point:
Some modern researchers might combine these models into a “multi-layered explanation”, recognizing that an anomalous experience might involve psychological processes, cultural interpretation, and “possibly” psi elements simultaneously.
Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 