Anomalistic Psychology: Exploring Paranormal Belief and Experience

The science behind claims of alien encounters and visions of ghosts can be even more fascinating than the sensationalist headlines. What leads some people to believe in the paranormal? Why might someone think they have been abducted by aliens? And is there any room for superstition in the modern world of science? Anomalistic Psychology - Provides a lively and thought-provoking introduction to the psychology underlying paranormal belief and experience. - Covers the latest psychological theories and experiments, and examines the science at the heart of the subject. - Uses a unique approach to apply different psychological perspectives – including clinical, developmental and cognitive approaches – to shed new light on the key debates. Whether you are a psychology student or simply curious about the paranormal, Anomalistic Psychology is the essential introduction to this contested and controversial field. Belief in the paranormal has been reported in every known society since the dawn of time – find out why.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction 2. Individual Differences 3. Clinical Perspectives 4. Developmental Perspectives 5. Psychobiological Perspectives 6. Cognitive Perspectives 7. Social Perspectives 8. Evolutionary Perspectives 9. Integrating the Different Approaches: Alien Contact Claims 10. Parapsychological Perspectives 11. Philosophical Perspectives 12. Future Prospects for Anomalistic Psychology and Parapsychology.

About the Author :
Christopher C. French is Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK. Anna Stone is Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, University of East London, UK. Christopher C. French is Professor of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK. Anna Stone is Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology, University of East London, UK.

Review :
"A fantastic resource for anyone interested in learning more about anomalous experiences." - Caroline Watt, Senior Lecturer, Koestler Parapsychology Unit, University of Edinburgh, UK "Christopher French and Anna Stone have written a balanced, authoritative, and reader-friendly guide about unusual but poorly understood psychological phenomena. There is nothing quite like it in the field." - Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Saybrook University, USA, and co-author, Demystifying Shamans and their World "Lots of people believe they have had strange experiences, such as alien abduction or seeing heaven when near death. French and stone, in this meticulously researched and beautifully written book, help us understand why. Anomalistic Psychology is a masterful, one-of-a-kind book that will interest anyone who cares about the sometimes seemingly bizarre workings of the human mind." - Elizabeth F. Loftus, PhD, Distinguished Professor, University of California, Irvine, USA, Past President of the Association for Psychological Science, and author of Eyewitness Testimony "Anomalistic Psychology provides an excellent introduction to this topic. The style is engaging, informative and easy to read, without any loss of depth or critical evaluation. I think that students will find it an engaging and thoughtful book, and because it contains relevant examples drawn from current cultural topics, they will find it accessible and entertaining. I will certainly recommend this text to the students on my Parapsychology course." - Nick Neave, Reader in the Department of Psychology, Northumbria University, UK "Anomalistic psychology tries to explain bizzare and/or paranormal experiences and beliefs. A listing of these would be endless, but among those that French and Stone consider are alien abduction, extrasensory perception, near-death experiences, and past-life memories." - Choice