Anomalous Cognition (AC) is a term used primarily in parapsychology to describe the acquisition of information without any known sensory, inferential, or conventional means of communication. The term was introduced to avoid assumptions about the mechanism involved (such as “telepathy” or “clairvoyance”).
Definition
Anomalous cognition could be defined as:
The apparent acquisition of accurate information about an object, person, place, or event through means not explained by the known senses or ordinary reasoning.
The term may deliberately descriptive rather than explanatory. It simply states that the information appears anomalous, it may not claim to know how it occurred.
Why the Term Was Created
Researchers might have moved away from terms like:
Telepathy
Clairvoyance
Precognition
ESP (Extrasensory Perception)
because those terms could imply specific mechanisms.
Instead, “anomalous cognition” may allow researchers to investigate unusual information acquisition without assuming whether it is due to psi, unknown psychological processes, statistical chance, or some other explanation.
Examples of Anomalous Cognition Research
Researchers may have studied anomalous cognition using controlled laboratory experiments such as:
Remote Viewing: describing distant locations or hidden targets.
Ganzfeld Experiments: testing for information transfer under sensory reduction.
Forced choice ESP Tests: guessing hidden symbols or cards.
Free response Experiments: describing unknown images or events.
Dream Telepathy Studies: examining whether dreams contain information about target images.
Proposed Types of Information Acquisition
If anomalous cognition exists, it may include information that appears to come from:
another person’s thoughts (telepathy)
distant locations (clairvoyance)
future events (precognition)
hidden objects
unknown facts later verified
Whether these are truly distinct phenomena or different expressions of the same underlying process remains an open question.
Scientific Status
The scientific community remains divided.
Supportive researchers argue:
Some laboratory studies report small but statistically significant effects that are difficult to explain by chance alone.
Meta analyses of certain paradigms, such as Ganzfeld and some remote viewing studies, may have found effects above chance, though interpretations remain debated.
The evidence warrants continued investigation.
Controversial skeptical researchers always argue:
Findings are often small and difficult to replicate consistently.
Methodological issues, publication bias, sensory leakage, or statistical artifacts may explain the results.
There is no widely accepted theoretical mechanism consistent with established physics or neuroscience.
As a result, anomalous cognition is not accepted as an established phenomenon within mainstream controversial psychology or neuroscience, though it remains an very active topic of research in parapsychology and consciousness studies.
Difference Between Anomalous Cognition and Remote Viewing
Anomalous cognition is the general phenomenon of apparently acquiring information by unknown means.
Remote viewing is a specific experimental protocol designed to test anomalous cognition under controlled conditions.
In other words:
Remote Viewing is one method used to investigate anomalous cognition.
Related Concepts
Parapsychology
Psychical Research
Remote Viewing
Ganzfeld experiments
Telepathy
Clairvoyance
Precognition
Anomalous experiences
Consciousness studies
Summary
Anomalous cognition is a neutral scientific term used in parapsychology for the apparent acquisition of information through means not currently explained by known sensory processes or conventional communication. It does not assume that psi exists; rather, it provides a framework for investigating such claims while remaining agnostic about the underlying mechanism. Although some researchers interpret certain experimental findings as suggestive of anomalous cognition, the evidence remains controversial, and the phenomenon has not been established as part of mainstream controversial scientific consensus.
Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 