1994 CSICOP Conference

Exploring Mind, Memory, and the Psychology of Belief

TOM GENONI, JR.

he 1994 CSICOP conference, conference was the keynote address by encounters so many have reported. Not held in Seattle, Washington, Carl Sagan, who emphasized the need only can these "waking dreams" result TJune 23 to 26, set out to explore to popularize science and the potential- in startling apparitions, but they may the various ways in which our minds ly dangerous consequences of a society also produce a range of physiological operate, how our views are formed, and in which scientific understanding is in symptoms, including heightened audio how our memories can be influenced, the hands of the few. (See his article in perception, sensations of floating or altered, and even manufactured. Tided this issue.) But it was the first session, falling, and even the feeling that some "The Psychology of Belief," this lively with Harvard professor of psychiatry device has been implanted somewhere four-day event, attended by more than John Mack discussing alien abductions, in the body. Although the predictabili- 700 people from around the United that created the most controversy. ty is low and the exact causes of such States and abroad, featured sessions on sleep disorders are not known—stress UFOs and alien abductions, die highly is believed to be a primary contribu- controversial recovered-memory debate, Alien Abductions: tor—Baker reported that 4 to 5 per- expert testimony and pseudoscience in cent of the American population have the courtroom, and conspiracy theories. Confrontation, Controversy had such experiences on one or more There was also an unannounced visit Robert Baker, professor emeritus of from James Randi, who showed a video- occasions in their lives. Baker said that, tape of his latest adventure in Australia psychology at the University of except for variations in the hallucinato- accompanied by his always nimble-wit- Kentucky, began the session by stating ry content, the descriptions given by ted commentary. The highlight of the his position that almost all so-called known sleep-paralysis patients are UFO abductions are primarily a psycho- almost identical to the accounts of logical phenomenon resulting alleged alien abductees. from hypnotherapy. Regressive Although somewhat in agreement hypnosis. Baker contends, is an with Baker and other skeptics that unreliable procedure because it UFO-abduction stories are difficult to unlocks the patient's imagina- accept, Thomas Bullard, folklorist at tion: "Once you turn on the Indiana University, said that the abduc- imagination, all things are pos- tion phenomenon is "an anomaly sible." Baker also said that sleep worth investigating." He said that there paralysis—a condition that can is an unusually high degree of consis- occur in the period between tency in the abductees' descriptions not sleeping and waking—accom- only of the aliens (short, humanoid fig- panied by hypnagogic and ures with large heads) but also of the hypnopompic hallucinations, sequence of events that occur during Harvard professor John Mack defending his belief can produce bizarre effects that the alleged abductions. In a brief slide that aliens have abducted many of his patients. may account for the vivid alien presentation, Bullard demonstrated

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1995 CSICOP -- Conference that early representations of aliens var- tcmology?" Mack said that this phenom- remembrance of an event does not ied considerably, while more recent enon may be inviting us to stretch our make the event so"—a point that would images have had a high system of understand- be reiterated throughout the conference. degree of consistency. ing realities. "Other On the recommendation of John He also disputed the cultures have always Mack, Sharon Phillip, a hypnothera- claim, alluded to by known that there pist, spoke next. Since experiencing a Baker, that the 1977 were other realities, UFO sighting as a teenager, Phillip movie Close Encounters other beings, other said, she has had many UFO and alien of the Third Kind pro- dimensions. There is a encounters, once witnessing an alien vided the model for world of other dimen- materialize in a doorway. She maintains that what she encountered were not the alien figure. He sions, of other realities sleep-paralysis hallucinations, but con- said that, of the 103 that can cross over into scious experiences, and urged the audi- cases in his study, more our own world." ence to keep an open mind in these than half of the 43 that Which realities, beings, Robert Baker discusses his earth- matters. had been published and dimensions, he did bound explanations for the alien prior to me release of abduction phenomenon. not say. To balance die proceedings, Donna that movie contained In closing, Mack Bassett, a researcher who had partici- descriptions of short, humanoid figures. asked why skeptics are so vehement in pated in John Mack's recent study, was Bullard maintained that there are too their attacks and wondered how they then called up to speak. At first Bassett many experiences that cannot be easily can have so much certainty. "Are we seemed to indicate she was one of explained through standard methods seeking to be the arbiters of reality?" he Mack's "abductees." But she quickly and urged skeptics to examine and asked. CSICOP Chairman Paul Kurtz, announced that since September 1992 investigate these UFO claims. (During moderator of the session, briefly she had been only posing as one in order to infiltrate Mack's study and the question-and-answer period, how- responded that skeptics are simply learn about his research methods. "1 ever, Baker pointed out that die burden practicing scientific methodology faked it," Bassett said, of proof is not on die skeptics, but on when they question "women have been those who are making these extraordi- UFO-abduction cases doing it for centuries." nary claims.) and other paranormal She reported that dur- claims. John Mack, professor of psychiatry ing her investigation at Harvard University, drew the most William Cone, a clini- she discovered that, attention and curiosity from the audi- cal psychologist from New- despite Mack's good ence. His recent book. Abduction: port Beach, California, said intentions, his proce- Human Encounters With Aliens, in he found a great deal of dures were flawed —he which he proclaims die belief that the research being con- used little or no scien- many of his patients actually have been ducted to be "atrociously tific methodology. She abducted by aliens, has received exten- bad" and echoed the said that during thera- sive media coverage. Indeed, Mack is charge made earlier by py sessions with Mack, now the most visible spokesman for Robert Baker that poorly many patients would the abduction phenomenon. He main- trained researchers often often practice "over- tains he was once intensely skeptical of impose their beliefs on lay," a term she said such claims but now categorizes the patients. The patients they invented to refer Researcher Donna Bassett UFO-abduction cases as "authentic themselves, in Cone's to their embellishing shares her experience as a experience, go public their stories. "They mysteries." He said he has considered pseudopatient in Mack's study. other possible causes (i.e., sleep paraly- either to be paid by die [die abductees] told John what he want- sis, nightmares), but the UFO-abduc- media or to garner notoriety and atten- ed to hear," Bassett added. She said she tion cases have "a quality of their own." tion from public appearances, or are felt that many of the patients were seek- But Mack did not simply defend his simply looking for a sense of identity, ing attention. Although she believed Mack's approach was wrong, she said position that, based on his anecdotal evi- wanting to belong somewhere. He said that the subject nevertheless deserves dence, aliens have visited the planet. He he has also diagnosed many of these study. also posed some questions regarding die people as mentally ill, paranoid, or delu- polarization of skeptics and believers. sional. Cone admitted he had found a Asking die audience to consider die subgroup of patients who do not fit his In response. Mack expressed his question "What is die appropriate epis- explanations, but he emphasized that "a disappointment over what had just

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1995 11 CSICOP Conference

occurred. "I am saddened by this. ... I The Belief Engine: How accomplishment he said was due to the am a little bit clearer about it when 1 World Views Are Formed "Geller effect." As a professor teaching am told that she (Bassett) was found to classes in critical thinking, Hyman said play this role by Philip Klass—since The session on perception and belief for- he performs this trick for students to that's his purpose, to destroy and mation was introduced by moderator illustrate the undependable nature of undercut the credibility of this work." James Alcock, professor of psychology at eyewitness testimony. After producing a Although one audience member com- Glendon College, York University. bent key, his students attempt to recall, mented that not informing Mack prior Alcock described sources of human per- in writing, what occurred during the demonstration, as well as to provide a ##!We must always, to some degree, be possible theory to explain how the effect was achieved. What Hyman has consis- suspicious of our own experience. We tently found over the years is that stu- must never take It as the arbiter of truth' dents will not report on the most crucial aspects of the trick simply because they to the conference that Bassett would be ception and emphasized the ease with do not know what to look for. In speaking was ethically questionable which our minds can make causal con- proposing theories, most offer natural (even though her story had already nections and patterns that may not exist. explanations, such as switched keys, spe- been covered in Time's April 25 inves- Our minds "take in information from cial key knowledge, or even enhanced tigative report about Mack), another the environment, combine it with finger strength. However, about one- said that the fact that Mack had not aspects of memory, shape it to satisfy cer- quarter of his students contend that an discovered Donna Bassett as a fake tain needs, and produce a belief that may authentic paranormal event has called into question his whole method- or may not have anything to do with occurred. And only one student has ever ology. Mack replied: "I'm not yet con- reality," Alcock said. Contributing to this correctly described Hyman's method. vinced one way or the other—whether framework of belief creation is what he Andrew Neher, professor of psy- called "magical thinking." As children, she did in fact hoax or whether she has chology at Cabrillo College, in Aptos, causal patterns arc often incorrectly in tact had these experiences herself. 1 California, surveyed the audience to learned merely because one event is fol- don't know." After answering a few measure the degree of belief and disbe- lowed by another. Despite our expanding more questions (and restating the need lief in the paranormal. In his three- ability to operate with a critical perspec- for an "expanded epistemology"), question poll, Neher found that most tive as we grow, fallacious beliefs that are Mack again implicated Klass in having functional and that, for example, aid our in the audience did not believe in para- a hand in Donna Bassett's work. emotional survivability, can be normal events, are confident of their At this time, Klass had heard sustained with this magical position, and are comfortable believing enough and angrily approached the thinking, which Alcock that paranormal events do not exist. stage. Taking the microphone, he chas- said never completely Neher, who questioned how so many tised Mack for making what he labeled leaves us. "We must could have such a high degree of com- "false innuendoes." "Before you made always, to some degree, fort in their stat- accusations . . . why didn't you check be suspicious of our own ed positions, with me? 1 could have told you that the experience," he conclud- was answered by first time 1 talked to Donna and her ed. "We must never take it as one audience member: husband about you and your work was the arbiter of truth." "I am no more uncomfortable with a when they called me on January 9." disbelief or the assumption that God After a few more exchanges, Paul Kurtz Hay Hyman, professor of psycholo- does not exist, than I am with Bigfoot, intervened and brought the session to a gy at the University of Oregon, rein- the Loch Ness Monster, or the tooth conclusion. forced Alcock's comments with a fairy. I don't find anything more inter- Ending the session on a humorous demonstration that left many suspicious esting or more valid from one to the note, Robert Baker jokingly proposed of their own experience. Hyman sum- other." that CSICOP's research should go in a moned two volunteers from the audi- In discussing various motives for new direction: "Sixty-nine percent of ence. He asked each to select a key and belief formation, Neher asserted that Americans believe in angels, and 32 to bend it using only a stroking move- believers and skeptics often construct percent claim they have had contact ment and a strong will. After a few min- their views in similar ways. Each learns utes with no results from his volunteers, with them. Now that's a lot better than from families, friends, different organi- Hyman was seemingly able to bend a for alien abductions. 1 think we ought zations, and the society at large, and key with only the power of his mind, an to investigate angels." each tends to stereotype the other—

12 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1995 CSICOP Conference sometimes members of their own publishing negative findings in sublimi- Ballard, a speaker on the previous group. Neher cautioned skeptics not t o nal-rape studies—to dispense with trou- evening, McGaha asserted that the evo- allow their biases and dispositions to blesome opponents to your cause, innu- lution of alien images into a creature prevent die scientific study of certain endo and character assassination are frequencywit usedh a . smalPratkanil bods ycalle and afo larger carefu, bulboul s beliefs. "Science can direct its energies understanding of these persuasion tactics. head is indeed a result of Steven to determining what is helpful to Spielbergs Close Encounters of the Third believe, without necessarily only Kind. McGaha also referred to numer- researching whether the belief is veridi- ous alien encounters and supposed gov- cal." Neher said that many who tend to An Illustrated History ernment cover-ups, including the 1947 reject science as elitist, irrelevant, or of UFOs Kenneth Arnold sighting, that he closed-minded have not been intro- believes were simply mountaintop duced to it as a process we all perform mirages, and die Roswell incident, in James McGaha, a retired Air Force pilot daily. "Science is not just something which a clerical error set in motion the and an amateur astronomer, treated the that scientists do somewhere else. All of amazing tales of an alien spacecraft and audience to an interesting and often us are scientists." government secrets. The accusations that humorous history of UFOs. In an hour- government agencies are concealing Anthony Pratkanis, professor of psy- long illustrated talk, McGaha chroni- aliens and their vehicles as well as die chology at die University of California at cled the alleged UFO encounters, media belief that Air Force pilots are trained as Santa Cruz, spoke on "How to Sell a influences, and government-conspiracy UFO observers, he also dispelled as Pseudoscience." He delineated methods beliefs daring from the 1896 air- unfounded. of persuasion many use to promote and ship incidents up to the sinister sell deceptive "products." Subdy increas- abduction claims of the 1990s. McGaha said we should not ing steps of commitment, clearing "cred- He showed a wide range of abandon our reasoning ability and ible" sources and leaders to end doubt, bizarre UFO shapes and alien scientific undemanding of nature, and establishing "granfalloons" ("in the forms, explaining that "UFOs despite the ever-increasing range know" groups of shared social identities) parallel popular culture, particular- of UFO beliefs in American culture. are but a few of the persuasive tactics used ly science-fiction movies, books, mag- "Where is the evidence? There is no to gain a targets trust. These methods azines, and television shows." McGaha empirical evidence that UFOs have ever often incorporate widely accepted, com- demonstrated that just before each of the visited the planet, none—UFOlogy is monplace "truths" that can be used to waves of UFO-sightings over the years, clearly a belief system." embellish concepts or issues to create the popular UFO stories were often preva- desired submissive effect, Pralkanis said. lent in the entertainment media. In con- Coverage of the 1994 CSICOP Conference And—as he himself experienced after trast to the view held by Thomas will continue in the next issue.

Session I ALIEN ABDUCTIONS. Paul Kurtz. Robert Baker. Audio tapes of the Thomas Bullard, John Mack. $13.90 Session II. T H E BELIEF ENGINE: HOW WORLDVIEWS ARE FORMED. James Alcock. Ray Hyman. Andrew Neher. Anthony Pratkanis. $13.90 CSICOP Conference Session III. Luncheon. AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF UFOS. James McGaha. $6.95 in Seattle, June 23-26,1994 Session IV. HOW WE FOOL OURSELVES: ANOMALIES Order die complete conference OF PERCEPTION AND INTERPRETATION. Barry Beyerstein now for $118.14 Susan Blackmore, Elizabeth Loftus. Jerry Andrus. $13.90 Session V. KEYNOTE ADDRESS. Carl Sagan. $13.90 Session VI. MEMORY: HOW RELIABLE IS IT? Carol Tarvis. Charge my DVisa DMaster Card DCheck enclosed Stephen Ceci. Richard Orihe, Loren Pankratz. $13.90 (please pay in U.S fundi drawn on a U.S. bank) Session VII. C S I C O P Luncheon. CSICOP AND THE LAW. Brendon VerPloeg. Remarks by Kendrick Frasier and Joe Nickel!. for the CSICOP Executive Council. $6.95 Session VIII INFLUENCING BELIEFS IN THE COURTROOM. Signature. Gerald M. Rosen, Barry Beyerstein. Peter Huber, Timothy Moore. $13.90 Name Session DC AWARDS BANQUET. Paul Kurtz. Carl Sagan. Address . John Maddox. Elizabeth Loftus. and others. $1390 Session X CONSPIRACY THEORIES. Lee Nisbet. Don Kates, City State Zip Philip J. Klass. Valerie Klein. $13 9 0 Complete set of conference tapes $118.14 (no charge tor p & h ) SKEPTICAL INQUIRER • Box 703 • Amherst, NY 14226-0703 Total Order toll free: 1-800-634-1610

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