TERMINOLOGY
A
AGENT: (1) A person who attempts to communicate information to another in an EVP experiment.
(2) The subject in a psycho-kinesis experiment.
(3) A person who is the focus of poltergeist activity.
ALPA RHYTHM: Electrical activity in the brain (approximately 10 cycle's per-second) associated with a state of mental relaxation.
APPARITION: The visual appearance of a person whose body is not in phyiscal form.
ASTRAL BODY: The body of a person seems to occupy during an out of body experience.
ASTRAL PLANE: An out of body experience usually brought on by a person having it.
AURA: A field that some people see surrounding the living body. Often thought to reflect a person's personality or well-being.
AUTOMATIC WRITING: Writing without being aware of the contents, as when a medium apparently transcribes written messages of disembodied spirits.
(2) The subject in a psycho-kinesis experiment.
(3) A person who is the focus of poltergeist activity.
ALPA RHYTHM: Electrical activity in the brain (approximately 10 cycle's per-second) associated with a state of mental relaxation.
APPARITION: The visual appearance of a person whose body is not in phyiscal form.
ASTRAL BODY: The body of a person seems to occupy during an out of body experience.
ASTRAL PLANE: An out of body experience usually brought on by a person having it.
AURA: A field that some people see surrounding the living body. Often thought to reflect a person's personality or well-being.
AUTOMATIC WRITING: Writing without being aware of the contents, as when a medium apparently transcribes written messages of disembodied spirits.
B
BLACK SHUCK: A special death omen in the form of a ghostly dog. Often referred in the America's as a hellhound.
C
CALL: Response made by a subject in a card guessing game or other EVP experiments.
CASE STUDY: An in-depth investigation of an individal subject.
CEREBRAL ANOXIA: Lack of oxygen to the brain, often causing sensory distortion and hallucinations. Sometimes used to explain features of Near Death Experiences (NDE).
CHANNELLING: The process by which a medium apparently allows spirits to communicate through his/her person.
CLAIRAUDIENCE: Auditory form of ESP.
CLAIRENTIENCE: Physical sensations (or smells) form of ESP. Sometimes used as a general term for clairvoyance or clairaudience.
CLAIRVOYANCE: A subject of ESP. The viewing of distance scenes not apparent to the eye, appear externally - either replacing the normal visual scene (visions) or being incorporated into it (as could be the case of an apparent apparition) - or internally, in the form of mental imagery and intuition.
COLD READING: A techinque using a seies of general questions and answers that allow fake mediums, mind readers and magicians to obtain previously unknown information about a person.
HOT/COLD SPOTS: Are sudden temperature changes that have been associated with anomalous (paranormal) phenomena. These temperature changes could indicate that presences of paranormal activity. It is believed by some that temperature changes are the effects of a distortion of the electromagnetic field within the immediate area.
COLLECTIVE APPARITION: An rare type of ghost/apparition sighting in which more than one person sees the same phenomena.
CONTROL: In experimental parapsychology a procedure undertaken in order to ensure that the experiment is conducted in a standard fashion and so that the results are not unduly influenced by exraneous factors.
CONTROL GROUP: A group of people whose performance is compared with that of experimental subject.
CORRELATION: An association between two or more variables.
CRISIS APPARITION: An apparition seen when the subject is at the point of death or is a victim of a serious illness or injury.
CASE STUDY: An in-depth investigation of an individal subject.
CEREBRAL ANOXIA: Lack of oxygen to the brain, often causing sensory distortion and hallucinations. Sometimes used to explain features of Near Death Experiences (NDE).
CHANNELLING: The process by which a medium apparently allows spirits to communicate through his/her person.
CLAIRAUDIENCE: Auditory form of ESP.
CLAIRENTIENCE: Physical sensations (or smells) form of ESP. Sometimes used as a general term for clairvoyance or clairaudience.
CLAIRVOYANCE: A subject of ESP. The viewing of distance scenes not apparent to the eye, appear externally - either replacing the normal visual scene (visions) or being incorporated into it (as could be the case of an apparent apparition) - or internally, in the form of mental imagery and intuition.
COLD READING: A techinque using a seies of general questions and answers that allow fake mediums, mind readers and magicians to obtain previously unknown information about a person.
HOT/COLD SPOTS: Are sudden temperature changes that have been associated with anomalous (paranormal) phenomena. These temperature changes could indicate that presences of paranormal activity. It is believed by some that temperature changes are the effects of a distortion of the electromagnetic field within the immediate area.
COLLECTIVE APPARITION: An rare type of ghost/apparition sighting in which more than one person sees the same phenomena.
CONTROL: In experimental parapsychology a procedure undertaken in order to ensure that the experiment is conducted in a standard fashion and so that the results are not unduly influenced by exraneous factors.
CONTROL GROUP: A group of people whose performance is compared with that of experimental subject.
CORRELATION: An association between two or more variables.
CRISIS APPARITION: An apparition seen when the subject is at the point of death or is a victim of a serious illness or injury.
D
DEATH CAR: A car that a person was killed in either a accident or any other means. Some believe it could be the risidual energy released at death.
DECLINE EFFECT: A decrease in performance on a PSI test when the test is repeated.
DEJA VU: The feeling of having experienced something before. Often more intense after a head injury.
DEMON: Evil entity often talked about by religious text said to be about nothing but eviol and wrong doing.
DIRECT VOICE PHENOMENA (DVP): "A spirit voice" , spoken directly to the sitter of a seance. The sound unusually seems to come from a point near the medium, or through a spirit horn or trumpet, but does not from the mouth of the medium.
DISSOCIATION: Activity performed outside of normal conscious awareness or mental process that suggest the existence of separate centres of consciousness.
DOUBLE BLIND: An experimental procedure in which neither the subject nor the experimenter is aware of key features of the experiment.
DECLINE EFFECT: A decrease in performance on a PSI test when the test is repeated.
DEJA VU: The feeling of having experienced something before. Often more intense after a head injury.
DEMON: Evil entity often talked about by religious text said to be about nothing but eviol and wrong doing.
DIRECT VOICE PHENOMENA (DVP): "A spirit voice" , spoken directly to the sitter of a seance. The sound unusually seems to come from a point near the medium, or through a spirit horn or trumpet, but does not from the mouth of the medium.
DISSOCIATION: Activity performed outside of normal conscious awareness or mental process that suggest the existence of separate centres of consciousness.
DOUBLE BLIND: An experimental procedure in which neither the subject nor the experimenter is aware of key features of the experiment.
E
EARTH BOUND: Ghost or spirit unable to cross over therefore stuck on earth.
ECTO/ECTOPLASM: (1) A life-like substance solid or vaporous that extrude form a mediums body and can become limbs or other ghostly manifestation.
(2) Smoky-like substance associated with spirit manifestation.
EXTRASENSORY PERCEPTION (ESP): The ability to gain knowledge through means other than the five physical senses or logical influence.
ELECTRONIC VOICE PHENOMENA (EVP): Is a term used to describe ghost or spirit voices or sounds that are picked up on audio, video or any other simular divises.
EXORCISM: The expulsion of a ghost, demon or any other entity through the inhabiting a living being's body, this could include animals.
EXPERIMENTAL GROUP: a group of subjects who undergo a specific experimental procedure. Often results from this group are compared with those of a control group.
EXPERIMENTER: The person who conducts the experiment.
EXTRA: Any face or figure that shows up in a photograph.
ECTO/ECTOPLASM: (1) A life-like substance solid or vaporous that extrude form a mediums body and can become limbs or other ghostly manifestation.
(2) Smoky-like substance associated with spirit manifestation.
EXTRASENSORY PERCEPTION (ESP): The ability to gain knowledge through means other than the five physical senses or logical influence.
ELECTRONIC VOICE PHENOMENA (EVP): Is a term used to describe ghost or spirit voices or sounds that are picked up on audio, video or any other simular divises.
EXORCISM: The expulsion of a ghost, demon or any other entity through the inhabiting a living being's body, this could include animals.
EXPERIMENTAL GROUP: a group of subjects who undergo a specific experimental procedure. Often results from this group are compared with those of a control group.
EXPERIMENTER: The person who conducts the experiment.
EXTRA: Any face or figure that shows up in a photograph.
F
FALSE AWAKENING: An experience in which a persons believes he or she has woken up, but are actually is still dreaming.
G
GHOST: A form of apparition, usually a visual appearance of a deceased human's "spirit or soul". A ghost can also include different creatures.
GHOST SICKNESS: A belief that a ghsot can cause physical sickness by a number of means including touch and PK ability.
GOAT: A subject in an experiment who does not believe in the ability for which he or she is being tested for.
GOUL: A demonic type of entity that feeds of human remains, also a term for a parasitic ghost.
GREY LADY: Ghost of a woman said to have died in the sake of love.
GHOST SICKNESS: A belief that a ghsot can cause physical sickness by a number of means including touch and PK ability.
GOAT: A subject in an experiment who does not believe in the ability for which he or she is being tested for.
GOUL: A demonic type of entity that feeds of human remains, also a term for a parasitic ghost.
GREY LADY: Ghost of a woman said to have died in the sake of love.
H
HALLOWEEN: A holiday based on the Celtic "All Hallow Eve". Beleive by some to be the day the daed can rise again.
HALLUCINATION: Perception of sights, sounds, etc that is not actually present.
HAUNTING: Recurrent sounds, and smells of human activity, sightings of apparations and other psychical phenomena in a location when no one is there phychically.
HIT: A choice that proves to be correct.
HOME CYCLE: An in home seance also called a sitting.
HYNOSIS: A state like-sleep in which the subject acts only on external suggestion.
HALLUCINATION: Perception of sights, sounds, etc that is not actually present.
HAUNTING: Recurrent sounds, and smells of human activity, sightings of apparations and other psychical phenomena in a location when no one is there phychically.
HIT: A choice that proves to be correct.
HOME CYCLE: An in home seance also called a sitting.
HYNOSIS: A state like-sleep in which the subject acts only on external suggestion.
I
ILLUSION: A distorted perception of objects or events causing a discrepancy between what is perceived and what is reality. (some times confused with hallucinations)
INTUITION: The non paranormal ability to grasp the elements of a situation or to draw conclusions about complex events in ways that go beyond a purely rational analysis.
INTUITION: The non paranormal ability to grasp the elements of a situation or to draw conclusions about complex events in ways that go beyond a purely rational analysis.
J
JUDGE: A person who compares targets and responses in a PSI experiment.
K
KIRLIAN PHOTOGRAPHY: A photographic method involving high frequency electric current, discovered by
S.D&V Kirlian in the Sovient Union. Kirlian photography often shows coloured halo's or aura's.
S.D&V Kirlian in the Sovient Union. Kirlian photography often shows coloured halo's or aura's.
L
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LAYING OF HANDS: A process by which some healers profess to be able to heal patients by touch.
LEVITATION: The lifting of physical objects by phychokinesis.
LIFE REVIEW: flashback memories of a whole person's life often associated with a Near Death Experience.
LONGBODY: A web of living connections amongst people, places and objects:
LAYING OF HANDS: A process by which some healers profess to be able to heal patients by touch.
LEVITATION: The lifting of physical objects by phychokinesis.
LIFE REVIEW: flashback memories of a whole person's life often associated with a Near Death Experience.
LONGBODY: A web of living connections amongst people, places and objects:
M
MARIAN APPARITION: The appearance of the Vigin Mary.
MATERIALIZATION: The act of forming something solid from thin air.
MEDIUM: A Person who professes to be able to communicate with the spirit.
MEDIUM-DIRECT VOICE: A trance medium who apparently acts as a transmitter for the voices of disembodied spirits.
MEDIUM-PHYSICAL: A medium who is the centre of moving objects and other physical incidents supposedly caused by spirits.
MISS: A choice that proves to be wrong.
MIST: A photographic anomaly (not usually seen by the naked eye) that appears as a "Blanket" of light. Theory suggests that this is the appearance of a ghost or spirit. As with all photographed anomalies there are environmental issues that are a concern to the validity of their existence (moisture, reflections, dirt, rain etc).
MOVING COFFINS: A disturbing occurrence when coffins sealed within a tomb move their own accord with out outside interference.
MATERIALIZATION: The act of forming something solid from thin air.
MEDIUM: A Person who professes to be able to communicate with the spirit.
MEDIUM-DIRECT VOICE: A trance medium who apparently acts as a transmitter for the voices of disembodied spirits.
MEDIUM-PHYSICAL: A medium who is the centre of moving objects and other physical incidents supposedly caused by spirits.
MISS: A choice that proves to be wrong.
MIST: A photographic anomaly (not usually seen by the naked eye) that appears as a "Blanket" of light. Theory suggests that this is the appearance of a ghost or spirit. As with all photographed anomalies there are environmental issues that are a concern to the validity of their existence (moisture, reflections, dirt, rain etc).
MOVING COFFINS: A disturbing occurrence when coffins sealed within a tomb move their own accord with out outside interference.
N
NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE (NDE): The out-of-body that people report having when they are closer to death. Events with NDE include OBE life review, a tunnel experience or drifting in darkness, some have encounters with angels, guides, seeing dead relatives, friends. A moment of decision or being told to return back. Often thought to heighten sensitivity to paranormal occurences.
O
OUT-OF-BODY EXPEREINCE (OBE): The experience that the self is in a different location to the phyiscal body.
OBJECTIVE APPARITION: Apparitions or phenomena that appears independent of our minds, thoughs or feelings.
OCCAM'S RAZOR: The principle that we should always prefer the simplest explantion or event.
OLD HANG SYNDROME: A nocturnal phenomena that involves suffocation and odd smells and feelings.
ORB: A photographed anomaly that some believe represents an on going spirit of a deceased person. It appears as a sphere of light and occasionally appears to be moving. This is a controversial subject as the latest research shows most orbs have been identified as environmental (dust, rain, pollen, insects etc)
OUIJA BOARD: A board pre-printed with letters, numerals and words used to receive spirit communications. Usually a palm sized triangular platform is employed to spell out words or point to numbers and letters. A game version was mass-marketed as OUIJA by Parker Brothers in 1966 and is currently distributed by Hasbro.
OBJECTIVE APPARITION: Apparitions or phenomena that appears independent of our minds, thoughs or feelings.
OCCAM'S RAZOR: The principle that we should always prefer the simplest explantion or event.
OLD HANG SYNDROME: A nocturnal phenomena that involves suffocation and odd smells and feelings.
ORB: A photographed anomaly that some believe represents an on going spirit of a deceased person. It appears as a sphere of light and occasionally appears to be moving. This is a controversial subject as the latest research shows most orbs have been identified as environmental (dust, rain, pollen, insects etc)
OUIJA BOARD: A board pre-printed with letters, numerals and words used to receive spirit communications. Usually a palm sized triangular platform is employed to spell out words or point to numbers and letters. A game version was mass-marketed as OUIJA by Parker Brothers in 1966 and is currently distributed by Hasbro.
P
PARANORMAL: Above or outside the natural order of things as presently understood.
PARAPSYCHOLOGY: The branch of science that studies psychic phenomena (term coined by I.B Rhine)
PERCIPIENT: A person who sees (i.e. percieves) an apparition or ghost.
PHANTOM: Another term for ghost.
PHANTOM HITCH-HICKER: A ghost that wonders highways, roads, tracks etc and gets rides but when the vehicle stops the ghost disappears.
POLTERGEIST: A German word meaning noisy or rowdy "ghost" (see also RSPK)
PSYCHICAL RESEARCH: Term coined in the 19th Century to refer to the scientific study of the paranormal.
PSYCHOKINETIC (PK): The power of the mind to affect matter without physical.
PLACE MEMORY: Information about past events that apparently is stored in the physical enivironment.
PRECOGNITION: The ability to predict things beyond the present.
PSYCHE: The Greek word for 'self', 'mid' or 'soul'.
PSYCHIC: A person with or above average EVP abilities.
PSYCHIC HEALING: A type of healing affected by psychic abilities of the healers.
PSYCHOMETRY: ESP of events associated with inanimate objects.
PYROKINESIS: The unconscious ability to control and in some cases produces fire with their minds only.
PARAPSYCHOLOGY: The branch of science that studies psychic phenomena (term coined by I.B Rhine)
PERCIPIENT: A person who sees (i.e. percieves) an apparition or ghost.
PHANTOM: Another term for ghost.
PHANTOM HITCH-HICKER: A ghost that wonders highways, roads, tracks etc and gets rides but when the vehicle stops the ghost disappears.
POLTERGEIST: A German word meaning noisy or rowdy "ghost" (see also RSPK)
PSYCHICAL RESEARCH: Term coined in the 19th Century to refer to the scientific study of the paranormal.
PSYCHOKINETIC (PK): The power of the mind to affect matter without physical.
PLACE MEMORY: Information about past events that apparently is stored in the physical enivironment.
PRECOGNITION: The ability to predict things beyond the present.
PSYCHE: The Greek word for 'self', 'mid' or 'soul'.
PSYCHIC: A person with or above average EVP abilities.
PSYCHIC HEALING: A type of healing affected by psychic abilities of the healers.
PSYCHOMETRY: ESP of events associated with inanimate objects.
PYROKINESIS: The unconscious ability to control and in some cases produces fire with their minds only.
Q
QUALITATIVE METHOD: A reserach method involving the collection of non-quantitative data (e.g. observation, interviews, subjective reports, case studies etc)
R
RADIO VOICE PHENOMENA (RVP): Receiving the voice of a deceased person over a regular radio.
REMOTE VIEWING: (1) Another term for clairvoyance.
(2) An ESP procedure in which a percipient attempts to become aware psychically of an
experience of an agent who is at a distance, unknown target location.
RESIDUAL HAUNTING: This type of haunting is thought by some to be like a video-playback of past events such as historical, tragic or everyday activities. This type of haunting could be imprinted into a location or building and replayed back when the conditions are right. What causes or tiggersthis phenoemena is not known.
RETROACTIVE PSYCHOKINESIS: Paranormal influence that an agent can have on an experiment after it has been completed.
RETROCOGNITION: A "time warp" in which one finds themself in the past, seeing or experiencing events of which they had no knowledge.
RECURRENT SPONTANEOUS PSYCHOKNINESIS (RSPK): A possible cause of apparent poltergeist activity.
REMOTE VIEWING: (1) Another term for clairvoyance.
(2) An ESP procedure in which a percipient attempts to become aware psychically of an
experience of an agent who is at a distance, unknown target location.
RESIDUAL HAUNTING: This type of haunting is thought by some to be like a video-playback of past events such as historical, tragic or everyday activities. This type of haunting could be imprinted into a location or building and replayed back when the conditions are right. What causes or tiggersthis phenoemena is not known.
RETROACTIVE PSYCHOKINESIS: Paranormal influence that an agent can have on an experiment after it has been completed.
RETROCOGNITION: A "time warp" in which one finds themself in the past, seeing or experiencing events of which they had no knowledge.
RECURRENT SPONTANEOUS PSYCHOKNINESIS (RSPK): A possible cause of apparent poltergeist activity.
S
SCEPTIC: A person inclined to dicount the reality of the paranormal and to be critical of parpsychology research. Generally seeks rational explanations for paranormal phenomena studed by parapsychologists.
SERIES: A sequence of rules in a PSI experiment.
SHEEP: A subject in an experiment who believes in the ability for which he or she is being tested for.
SIMULCA: A word used to describe the seeing of faces and figures in everyday objects.
SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY: A spirit photograph captures the image of a ghost on film. MANY of these are supposedly intended as a mere portrait of a living human being but when the film is developed, an ethereal ghostly face or figure can be seen hovering near the subject. This may all include, orbs, vortexes and mists to some degree.
SPIRIT THEATRE: A term used by modern magicians to describe shows, acts or tricks in which ghosts or other activity is apparently produced.
SPIRITUALISM: A bielf system that spirits of the dead can communicate with living people in the material world (usually through a medium).
SUBJECTIVE APPARITION: Apparitions or phenomena that are hallucinations created by the mind.
SUPERNATURAL: Something that exists or occures through some other then any known force in nature. As opposed to paranormal, the term 'supernatural' often refers to divine or demonic intervention.
STATISTICS: Mathermatical techiques for analysing and interpreting data.
STIGMATA: Unexplained markings on a persons body that correspond to the wounds of Christ.
SURVEY: A method of data collection that involves interviewing or giving a questionnaire to a representative and often a large group of people.
SERIES: A sequence of rules in a PSI experiment.
SHEEP: A subject in an experiment who believes in the ability for which he or she is being tested for.
SIMULCA: A word used to describe the seeing of faces and figures in everyday objects.
SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY: A spirit photograph captures the image of a ghost on film. MANY of these are supposedly intended as a mere portrait of a living human being but when the film is developed, an ethereal ghostly face or figure can be seen hovering near the subject. This may all include, orbs, vortexes and mists to some degree.
SPIRIT THEATRE: A term used by modern magicians to describe shows, acts or tricks in which ghosts or other activity is apparently produced.
SPIRITUALISM: A bielf system that spirits of the dead can communicate with living people in the material world (usually through a medium).
SUBJECTIVE APPARITION: Apparitions or phenomena that are hallucinations created by the mind.
SUPERNATURAL: Something that exists or occures through some other then any known force in nature. As opposed to paranormal, the term 'supernatural' often refers to divine or demonic intervention.
STATISTICS: Mathermatical techiques for analysing and interpreting data.
STIGMATA: Unexplained markings on a persons body that correspond to the wounds of Christ.
SURVEY: A method of data collection that involves interviewing or giving a questionnaire to a representative and often a large group of people.
T
TARGET OBJECT: In ESP, the object or event the subject attempts to preceive, in PK, the object or event the subjext attempts to influence.
TELEKINESIS: Paranormal movement of objects.
TELEPATHY: The direct passing of information from the mind to another.
TELEPORTATION: A kind of paranormal transportation in which an object in moved from a distinct location to another, often through a solid objext such as a wall.
TEMPORAL LOBE ACTIVTY: Electrical activity in the temporal lob's of the brain. Often associated with strange sensations, time distortions and hallucinations. Sometimes used as an explantion for seemingly paranormal experiences such as apparitions.
THOUGHT FORM: An apparition produced by the power of the human form.
TRANCE: A sleep-like state in which there is a change in consciouness.
TELEKINESIS: Paranormal movement of objects.
TELEPATHY: The direct passing of information from the mind to another.
TELEPORTATION: A kind of paranormal transportation in which an object in moved from a distinct location to another, often through a solid objext such as a wall.
TEMPORAL LOBE ACTIVTY: Electrical activity in the temporal lob's of the brain. Often associated with strange sensations, time distortions and hallucinations. Sometimes used as an explantion for seemingly paranormal experiences such as apparitions.
THOUGHT FORM: An apparition produced by the power of the human form.
TRANCE: A sleep-like state in which there is a change in consciouness.
V
VORTEX: A photgraphed anomaly that appears as a funnel or rope like image (sometimes creating a shadow). That is not seen at the time of the photograph being taken. Some believe it repersents a ghost. Other theories include a collection of orbs, a gateway to were orbs originate or travel to or a wormhole in space and time. No real evidence has been found for any of these theories.
W
WHITE NOISE: A hiss-like sound formed by compiling all audio frequencies (usewd mainly for EVP experiments)
WRAITH: Apparitions said to be the bringer of death.
WRAITH: Apparitions said to be the bringer of death.
Z
ZENER CARDS: Set of cards (5 each, of circle, square, greek cross, 5-pointed star, 3-wavy lines) disigned by the perceptual psychologist Karl Zener for use in card-guessing tests of ESP (also known as ESP cards)
REFERENCES:
Paranormal terminology: www.geocities.com/dravenstar.
1) Michael Daniels, PhD, Psychic Connections. 2) Journey into mysterious world of Psi by Duncan and William Roll, PhD (Bantam Doubleday Deli Books 1995. 3) The complete idiot's guide to ghosts and hauntings by Tom Ogden, Alfa Books 1999. 4) Psychology Themes and Variants second edition by Wayne Weiten, brooks/cole publishing 1989.
Paranormal terminology: www.geocities.com/dravenstar.
1) Michael Daniels, PhD, Psychic Connections. 2) Journey into mysterious world of Psi by Duncan and William Roll, PhD (Bantam Doubleday Deli Books 1995. 3) The complete idiot's guide to ghosts and hauntings by Tom Ogden, Alfa Books 1999. 4) Psychology Themes and Variants second edition by Wayne Weiten, brooks/cole publishing 1989.