The Parapsychological Association, Inc. 50 Annual Convention

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Parapsychological Association, Inc. 50 Annual Convention The Parapsychological Association, Inc. 50 th Annual Convention Proceedings of Presented Papers August 2–5, 2007 Holiday Inn Select Halifax Centre Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada John Palmer, Ph.D. Program Chair Program Committee Chair John Palmer, Ph.D. Rhine Research Center Durham, NC, USA Carlos S. Alvarado, Ph.D. Chris A. Roe, Ph.D. Daryl J. Bem, Ph.D. Stefan Schmidt, Ph.D. Richard S. Broughton, Ph.D. Simon J. Sherwood, Ph.D. Etzel Cardeña, Ph.D. Christine Simmonds-Moore, Ph.D. Jan Dalkvist, Ph.D. Jerry Solfvin, Ph.D. Erlendur Haraldsson, Ph.D. Douglas M. Stokes, Ph.D. James E. Kennedy, Ph.D. Devin B. Terhune, M.Sc. Edwin C. May, Ph.D. Harald Walach, Ph.D. Roger D. Nelson, Ph.D. Caroline A. Watt, Ph.D. Adrian Parker, Ph.D. Stuart Wilson, Ph.D. Arrangements Committee Chair Miguel Roig, Ph.D. St. Johns University Jamaica, NY, USA Laura F. Knipe Rex. G. Stanford, Ph.D. Nancy L. Zingrone, Ph.D. 0 Proceedings of Presented Papers TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements John Palmer, Program Chair .................................................................................................................................. 1 Program 50th Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association .......................................................... 2 Full Papers 6 Angélica A. S. Almeida, An “insanity factory”: Psychiatry vs. Spiritism in Brazil & Alexander Moreira- (1900-1950) . ....................................................................................... 7 Almeida Liudmila B. Boldyreva Is long distance psychokinesis possible in outer space? .................... 12 Etzel Cardeña, Dietrich The neurophenomenology of hypnosis ................................................ 17 Lehmann, Peter Jönsson, Devin Terhune, & Pascal Farber Nicola J. Holt Are artistic populations psi-conducive? Testing the relationship between creativity and psi with an experience-sampling protoco l..... 31 William T. Joines Energetic aspects of RSPK .................................................................. 48 & William G. Roll Edwin C. May Advances in anomalous cognition analysis: A judge-free and accurate confidence-calling technique ................................................ 57 Alexander Moreira-Almeida, Differences between Spiritist mediumship and dissociative identity Francisco Lotufu Neto, & disorder based on a structured interview ............................................ 64 Etzel Cardeña John Palmer Can sensory cues facilitate real ESP in an RNG guessing task? ........ 76 Alejandro Parra “Seeing and feeling ghosts”: Absorption, fantasy proneness, and healthy schizotypy as predictors of crisis apparition experiences ...... 84 Alejandro Parra, & Juan “Token object” effect and medical diagnosis: An experimental Carlos Argibay study ................................................................................................... 95 Chris A. Roe, & Claire Bell Paranormal belief, anxiety, and perceived control over life events... 103 William G. Roll Psychological and neuropsychological aspects of RSPK…............... 116 Caroline Watt A peek in the file drawer: Review of 96 undergraduate student projects at the Koestler parapsychology unit ..................................... 133 Bryan J. Williams The Albuquerque 300 Experiment: F ield RNG analysis of the Albuquerque Tricentennial ................................................................. 143 Bryan J. Williams Exploratory field RNG study during a group workshop on psychic experiences ....................................................................... 157 The Parapsychological Association Convention 2007 1 Bryan J. Williams & Spirit controls and the brain ............................................................... 170 William G. Roll Research Briefs 187 Fiona Campbell & Poltergeists as external representations of a mental state ................. 188 Craig D. Murray Nicola J. Holt, Christine Cognitive disinhibition and psi: Exploring the filter theory A. Simmonds-Moore, & of psi-awareness ................................................................................. 192 Stephen L. Moore Chris A. Roe, Simon J. Assessing the role of personality and the provision of feedback Sherwood, & Louise M. in ESP dream research ....................................................................... 196 Farrell Chris A. Roe & Stuart Flint A remote viewing pilot study using a ganzfeld induction procedure ........................................................................... 199 Elizabeth C. Roxburgh The psychology and phenomenology of mediumship: An exploratory survey ......................................................................... 203 Sergio Schilling Possession trance and suicide in a Colombian tribe .......................... 207 Sergio Schilling & Genetic analysis of psi experiences .................................................... 212 Waldo Mora Annalisa M. Ventola & Evaluating photographic anomalies: Examining the Devin B. Terhune roles of photographic expertise, context, paranormal belief, and tolerance of ambiguity ...................................................... 217 David J. Wilde & The occurrence, phenomenology, and psychological Craig D. Murray correlates of out-of-body and near-death experiences ...................... 221 Panel Abstracts 225 Three Parapsychological Association Goals: A 50 th Anniversary Assessment Rex G. Stanford Introduction: The character of the assessment …………………….. 226 Eberhard W. Bauer Goal I: Advancement of parapsychology as a science…………….. 226 Stanley Krippner Goal II: Dissemination of the knowledge of parapsychology ……… 227 Edwin C. May Goal III: The integration of parapsychology with other branches of science ............................................................................ 228 2 Proceedings of Presented Papers Forgotten Pioneers of Parapsychology (Chair: Carlos S. Alvarado ) Gerd H. Hövelmann The many faces of a parapsychological pioneer: Max Dessoir ............... 229 Carlos S. Alvarado Rufus Osgood Mason (1830-1903) and the popularization of psychical research in America ................................................................. 230 Eberhard Bauer Emil Mattiesen: German composer and ‘metapsychologist’................. 231 Peter Mulacz Christoph Schröder (1871-1952): The hub of a parapsychological network ...................................................................... 232 Alejandro Parra “Biology without metapsychics, a bird without wings”: Orlando Canavesio’s contributions to parapsychology ........................... 233 Nancy L. Zingrone Charles Edward Stuart (1907 –1947) and experimental ESP research ............................................................................................ 234 Ian Stevenson’s Work in Parapsychology (Chair: Carlos S. Alvarado ) Nancy L. Zingrone Ian Stevenson on the importance of spontaneous cases ........................... 236 Erlendur Haraldsson Ian Stevenson’s reincarnation research ................................................... 237 Carlos S. Alvarado Ian Stevenson’s contributions to research with spontaneous ESP experiences ....................................................................................... 238 John Palmer Ian Stevenson on mental mediumship ...................................................... 239 The Parapsychological Association Convention 2007 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is a distinct honor to have been selected Program Chair for the 50th Anniversary of our distinguished association. To commemorate this milestone, this year’s program includes a special panel, organized by the president, Rex G. Stanford, that takes stock of how far we have come in meeting our objectives since the founding of the PA in 1957. In addition, there is the usual collection of interesting submissions, including 16 full papers, 9 research briefs, and 2 other panels. Finally, we have an invited address by Erlendur Haraldsson and the banquet address by Daryl Bem. These contributions represent a total of 26 first authors from 10 countries; the international scope of the PA continues to be evident. I have many people to thank for their contributions to the success of this year’s convention. First and foremost, I wish to thank the members of the Program Committee for their labors. Unlike many other scientific societies, the PA requires that submissions to our conventions undergo peer review. This review process not only weeds out submissions that do not meet the PAs standards, but it also helps authors improve the papers that we do accept. This, of course, means that our Program Committee members need to do more work than those who represent societies that lack such a provision. The Arrangements Committee also deserves recognition for the work they have done in selecting the venue for this year’s convention, working out the logistics with the hotel, and assuring that everything ran smoothly once the convention began. Last but not least, I want to thank the Rhine Research Center for providing me the “overhead”, without which my job would have been much more difficult. John Palmer, Ph.D., Program Chair The Parapsychological Association Convention 2007 1 2007 PA CONVENTION – CONVENTION PROGRAM Thursday, August 2 nd 6:00 – 10:00: Welcoming Activities 6:00 Registration 7:30 Social Reception Friday, August 3 rd 8:30 – 9:15: Introductory Activities 8:30 Registration 9:00 Welcoming remarks: Rex G. Stanford (PA President), John Palmer (Program Chair) 9:15 – 10:40: Panel: Forgotten Pioneers of Parapsychology Chair: Carlos S. Alvarado 9:15 Introduction – Carlos
Recommended publications
  • Theoretical Intersections Between Sandra Bem's Scholarship And
    Running head: QUEERING BEM 1 Queering Bem: Theoretical Intersections between Sandra Bem’s Scholarship and Queer Theory QUEERING BEM 2 Abstract Sandra Bem revolutionized psychology with her research on gender, androgyny, and gender schematicity, which culminated in her book, The Lenses of Gender. Her work also provides a model for how to cross inter-disciplinary lines to enhance scholarship and reach political goals. We analyze similarities and differences between Bem's scholarship and scholarship in queer theory, a theoretical movement in the humanities that analyzes discourses that construct man/woman and straight/gay binaries. There are important overlaps between Bem’s lenses of gender (biological essentialism, gender polarization, and androcentrism) and the ideas of many queer theorists. There are also several interesting differences between Bem’s ideas and queer theory: attention to the intrapsychic processes that make up gender, the extent to which individuals can be liberated from gender, proliferating versus contesting gender, intersectionality, and epistemology and methodology. By assessing the similarities and differences between Bem and queer theorists, we show that the two complement each other, affording a better understanding of gender and sexuality. Additionally, both Bem and queer theory lend insight into feminist and queer activism. The theoretical and political advances that can be made by integrating Bem’s ideas and those of queer theorists serve as examples for why it is worthwhile to cross disciplinary lines. Keywords: gender roles, queer theory, feminism, sexuality QUEERING BEM 3 Introduction The process of becoming a feminist or queer psychologist is often rooted in multi- disciplinary entanglements (Herrmann & Stewart, 1994). Many of us gain our training not only in seminar classes in psychology departments but also in multidisciplinary gender and women’s studies classrooms.
    [Show full text]
  • Recommendations for Writing Empirical Journal Articles: Technical Report
    Recommendations for Writing Empirical Journal Articles: Technical Report Morton Ann Gernsbacher University of Wisconsin-Madison [email protected] Open Science Framework September 18, 2017 https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/UXYCH CONTENTS 1. Course syllabi that mention Bem’s “Writing the empirical journal article” chapter ……………………..…. p. 2 2. Word count and text of Clark and Clark’s (1939) classic article …………………………………………….. p. 8 3. Word count and text of Clark and Clark’s (1940) classic article …………………………………………….. p. 14 4. Word count and text of Clark and Clark’s (1947) classic article …………………………………………….. p. 21 5. Word count and text of Harlow’s “Nature of Love” (1958) classic article ………..…………..…………….. p. 27 6. Word count and text of Tolman’s “Cognitive Maps” (1948) classic article …………………...…………….. p. 49 7. Word count and text of Miller’s “Magical Number Seven” (1956) classic article ………………………….. p. 57 2 Google Search Results [on SEP 17, 2017] Google Search Terms: “Bem” “Writing the empirical journal article” “syllabus” [PDF]Syllabus Fall 2010 - Psychological Sciences www3.psych.purdue.edu/~willia55/Syllabus%20646%20Fall%202010.pdf Suggested Readings: Bem, D. (2004). Writing the empirical journal article. The compleat academic: A career guide (pp. 185-219). Washington, D. C.: American ... Course Syllabus | 11-780: Research Design and Writing kanagawa.lti.cs.cmu.edu/11780/?q=node/1 Bem, D. J. (2003). Writing the Empirical Journal Article , in Darley, Zanna, & Roediger (Eds.) The Compleat Academic: A Practical Guide for the Beginning Social ... [PDF]Academic Writing for Psychology www.psyk.uu.se/.../c_499928-l_1-k_course-syllabus_academic-writing-for-psycholo... Kursplan/Course Syllabus. Course leader and examiner ..
    [Show full text]
  • Psi Is Here to Stay Cardeña, Etzel
    Psi is here to stay Cardeña, Etzel Published in: Journal of Parapsychology 2012 Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Cardeña, E. (2012). Psi is here to stay. Journal of Parapsychology, 76, 17-19. Total number of authors: 1 General rights Unless other specific re-use rights are stated the following general rights apply: Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal Read more about Creative commons licenses: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. LUND UNIVERSITY PO Box 117 221 00 Lund +46 46-222 00 00 Volume 76 / Supplement December, 2012 Special Issue Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Journal of Parapsychology Where Will Parapsychology Be in the Next 25 Years? Predictions and Prescriptions by 32 Leading Parapsychologists Parapsychology in 25 Years 2 EDITORIAL STAFF JOHN A. PALMER , Editor DAVID ROBERTS , Managing Editor DONALD S. BURDICK , Statistical Editor ROBERT GEBELEIN , Business Manager With the exception of special issues such as this, the Journal of Parapsychology is published twice a year, in Spring and Fall, by the Parapsychology Press, a subsidiary of the Rhine Research Center, 2741 Campus Walk Ave., Building 500, Durham, NC 27705.
    [Show full text]
  • The Paranormal and a New Theory of the Universe John Nwanegbo - Ben
    International Journal of Novel Research in Interdisciplinary Studies Vol. 1, Issue 2, pp: (26-36), Month: November-December 2014, Available at: www.noveltyjournals.com The Paranormal and a New Theory of the Universe John Nwanegbo - Ben Department of Philosophy of Science & Technology Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria Abstract: Discussions concerning the Paranormal and Science has been on the possible existence of the claimed activities of paranormal feats. The experimental Scientist posits that claims to these phenomena are fraudulent and its possibility doubtful. They went further to believe that only experimental procedures that adopt the accepted scientific methods can prove its truth or falsity. This article assumes that the propaganda for experimental scientific method hampers successful research and investigation into the paranormal. It went further to assert that a careful perusal of paranormal and experimental science shows that all parts of the universe are connected in an intimate way, both in the seen and unseen energies as was previously posited by mystics without scientific proof. The paper concludes that the paranormal is a science of the future. Keywords: Science, Paranormal, Psychic energy, Experimental psychology, Psychokinesis, Telepathy. I. INTRODUCTION Paranormal simply suspect that we do not know everything about nature. The paranormal “consists of alleged occurrences or powers which, if actual cannot be explained by our current understanding of Physics” [Terry Davidson.2010.] Paranormal phenomena are anathema to orthodox scientists because they neglect the central dogma of the materialistic faith: that everything is explicable in terms of physical matter - energy operating according to known Laws. Many scientists are so convinced that the paranormal does not exist and that no amount of evidence will ever persuade them otherwise.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography of Occult and Fantastic Beliefs Vol.4: S - Z
    Bruno Antonio Buike, editor / undercover-collective „Paul Smith“, alias University of Melbourne, Australia Bibliography of Occult and Fantastic Beliefs vol.4: S - Z © Neuss / Germany: Bruno Buike 2017 Buike Music and Science [email protected] BBWV E30 Bruno Antonio Buike, editor / undercover-collective „Paul Smith“, alias University of Melbourne, Australia Bibliography of Occult and Fantastic Beliefs - vol.4: S - Z Neuss: Bruno Buike 2017 CONTENT Vol. 1 A-D 273 p. Vol. 2 E-K 271 p. Vol. 3 L-R 263 p. Vol. 4 S-Z 239 p. Appr. 21.000 title entries - total 1046 p. ---xxx--- 1. Dies ist ein wissenschaftliches Projekt ohne kommerzielle Interessen. 2. Wer finanzielle Forderungen gegen dieses Projekt erhebt, dessen Beitrag und Name werden in der nächsten Auflage gelöscht. 3. Das Projekt wurde gefördert von der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Sozialamt Neuss. 4. Rechtschreibfehler zu unterlassen, konnte ich meinem Computer trotz jahrelanger Versuche nicht beibringen. Im Gegenteil: Das Biest fügt immer wieder neue Fehler ein, wo vorher keine waren! 1. This is a scientific project without commercial interests, that is not in bookstores, but free in Internet. 2. Financial and legal claims against this project, will result in the contribution and the name of contributor in the next edition canceled. 3. This project has been sponsored by the Federal Republic of Germany, Department for Social Benefits, city of Neuss. 4. Correct spelling and orthography is subject of a constant fight between me and my computer – AND THE SOFTWARE in use – and normally the other side is the winning party! Editor`s note – Vorwort des Herausgebers preface 1 ENGLISH SHORT PREFACE „Paul Smith“ is a FAKE-IDENTY behind which very probably is a COLLCETIVE of writers and researchers, using a more RATIONAL and SOBER approach towards the complex of Rennes-le-Chateau and to related complex of „Priory of Sion“ (Prieure de Sion of Pierre Plantard, Geradrd de Sede, Phlippe de Cherisey, Jean-Luc Chaumeil and others).
    [Show full text]
  • A New Paradigm for Understanding Women's Sexuality
    Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 56, No. 2, 2000, pp. 329–350 A New Paradigm for Understanding Women’s Sexuality and Sexual Orientation Letitia Anne Peplau and Linda D. Garnets* University of California, Los Angeles Major scientific findings about women’s sexuality and sexual orientation are reviewed. Sexual orientation is unrelated to mental health. There is no inherent association between gender conformity and women’s sexual orientation; mascu- linity and femininity are linked to sexual orientation in some social contexts but not in others. Research has so far failed to identify major biological or childhood ante- cedents of women’s sexual orientation. Women’s sexuality and sexual orientation are potentially fluid, changeable over time, and variable across social contexts. Regardless of sexual orientation, there are important commonalities in women’s sexuality. In particular, women tend to have a relational or partner-centered orientation to sexuality. Together, these findings provide the basis for a paradigm shift in the conceptualization of women’s sexual orientation. Scientific research on women’s sexuality and sexual orientation is still a young endeavor. Nonetheless, several basic findings have been supported consis- tently by empirical research. Taken together, these findings highlight the need to reject old models of women’s sexual orientation and to develop a new paradigm that is grounded in scientific research and sensitive to the realities of women’s lives. Too often, old theories have taken male experience as the norm for human experience. Yet there appear to be important differences in the sexualities of women and men that emerge when women’s lives are the central focus of investi- gation.
    [Show full text]
  • How News About ESP Research Shapes Audience Beliefs
    How News about ESP Research Shapes Audience Beliefs A study shows that the media can affect beliefs about whether ESP exists and whether ESP researchers are scientific. However, media influence depends on how coverage presents ESP research. PAUL R. BREWER ontroversy erupted in January 2011 when the presti- idently a good sport, appeared as a guest gious Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JPSP) on the same episode). published an article by Daryl Bem, an emeritus pro- All of this raises questions about the C potential for media coverage of ESP fessor of psychology at Cornell University, in which he pre- research to influence audience beliefs. sented a case for ESP (extrasensory perception). Bem (2011a) Can media stories sway whether peo- ple believe in ESP and whether they argued that his experiments showed scientific evidence of see research on it as scientific? Do such precognition, or awareness of future events. However, many effects depend on whether the media other psychologists disputed his conclusions. Indeed, the cover ESP research in a one-sided way that only presents the case for ESP, a same journal that published his study also published a rebut- two-sided way that includes scientific tal challenging how he interpreted his data (Wagenmakers et rebuttals from ESP skeptics, or a face- tious way that treats it as a joke? More al. 2011). The debate over ESP played out in the pages of the broadly, what role(s) can media mes- Skeptical Inquirer as well, where James Alcock (2011) pre- sages play in fostering belief or skep- sented a critique of Bem’s research and Bem himself (2011b) ticism about paranormal research? To help provide answers, I conducted an defended it.
    [Show full text]
  • Failure to Replicate Retrocausal Recall Imants Barušs King's University College, [email protected]
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Scholarship@Western Western University Scholarship@Western Psychology Psychology 2014 Failure to replicate retrocausal recall Imants Barušs King's University College, [email protected] Vanille Rabier Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/kingspsychologypub Part of the Psychology Commons Citation of this paper: Barušs, Imants and Rabier, Vanille, "Failure to replicate retrocausal recall" (2014). Psychology. 4. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/kingspsychologypub/4 Running Head: FAILURE TO REPLICATE RETROCAUSAL RECALL 1 Failure to Replicate Retrocausal Recall Imants Barušs and Vanille Rabier King=s University College at The University of Western Ontario © 2014 Imants Barušs and Vanille Rabier Author Note Imants Barušs, Department of Psychology, King=s University College at The University of Western Ontario; Vanille Rabier, Department of Psychology, King=s University College at The University of Western Ontario. Vanille Rabier is now at Bimini Biological Field Station, Bahamas. This study began as Vanille Rabier=s undergraduate thesis in psychology at King=s University College. This research was supported by King=s University College and Medical Technology (W. B.) Inc. The authors thank Daryl Bem for providing us with the software and instructions for running the experiment; Carolyn van Lier, Jennifer Stewart, and Terra Duchene for interacting with participants; Arwen Sweet for data entry; Sauro Camiletti for advice about statistics; Julia Mossbridge for feedback about the study; and Shannon Foskett for literature searches, critical comments, and proofreading. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Imants Barušs, Department of Psychology, King=s University College at The University of Western Ontario, 266 Epworth Ave., London, Ontario, Canada N6A 2M3.
    [Show full text]
  • Altered States of Consciousness and the Possibilty of Survival of Death
    * Special Report for Members December 1985 Altered States of Consciousness and the Possibility of Survival of Death Charles T. Tart, PhD Selections from a Presentation for The Symposium on Consciousness and Survival co-sponsored by the Institute of Noetic Sciences in cooperation with the Office of Smithsonian Symposia and Seminars at Georgetown University, Washington, DC October 1985 Editors' note: The presentation summa- state of consciousness I am accustomed to. rized here was one of nine from a panel of Further, I doubt that "I", in the sense of my distinguished scholars and scientists, ordinary self, will be the self that regains convened by the Institute of Noetic Sciences some sort of consciousness. to address the question: does individual consciousness survive bodily death? This By thinking about survival in terms of question raised related questions, equally our ordinary, taken-for-granted "I" provocative. What is the nature of mind? surviving, we have inadvertently What is the nature of consciousness? confused the issue, so it is no wonder Psychologist Dr. Charles Tart approaches that we do not have a clear answer these issues from the perspective of his work about the possibility of survival. with altered states of consciousness (which include, for example, meditative states, What we call "I" is actually quite changeable hypnotic trance, dream states, states of from minute to minute, rather than being as sensory deprivation). Tart reviews the fixed as we like to think it is. Some of these contributions of parapsychological research to forms of "I" occur often, so it is useful, the "survival question", and suggests especially if we are interested in personal directionsfor future investigation.
    [Show full text]
  • 150-06 (8-10-96) from Exotic to Erotic: Roots of Sexual Orientation Found
    August 10, 1996 BROWSE BROWSE TABLE OF BY YEAR 1996 ISSUES CONTENTS 1996 Vol. 150 No. 6 p. 88 From Exotic to Erotic Roots of sexual orientation found in personality, childhood friendships By BRUCE BOWER Homosexuality sparks bitter political wrangles and impassioned scholarly debate in the United States. From the embattled policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” in the armed services to con- troversial attempts to certify same-sex marriages, legislators appear far from gay, in the tradi- tional sense of that word, when confronted with such divisive issues. Policy disputes regarding homosexuality often seem to rest on the assumption that if you choose, you lose. Battle lines form over whether homosexuals heed strong inborn impulses (a notion favored by gay activists and others who want to extend legal protection for homosexu- als) or consciously decide to consort with members of their own sex (the position held by many of those who oppose such laws). Academics face off across their own conceptual divide. Biology-oriented researchers point to mounting evidence linking homosexuality to a gene or genes, prenatal exposure to excessive amounts of masculinizing or feminizing hormones, and changes in brain structure. Biological factors such as these mastermind the erotic pull to one’s own sex, this camp argues. An opposing school of thought, known as social constructionism, regards sexual orientation as a malleable concept that varies greatly from one culture to another. The extent of homosex- uality and public attitudes toward homosexuals oscillate markedly across societies and histori- cal eras, this group holds. Enter Daryl Bem of Cornell University.
    [Show full text]
  • Are Bisexuals Lying?
    Are Self-identified Bisexuals Just Lying to Us—or to Themselves? Daryl J. Bem Cornell University (Posted to Sexnet July 16, 2005) I should like to offer an alternative perspective on a subset of those men and women who describe themselves as bisexual, an alternative to the unflattering view that they are all lying, deceiving themselves, or “transitioning” to homosexuality. (Note that I am not here taking a stand on the current debate over whether “true” bisexuality actually exists in men.) I believe that many self-described bisexuals are simply people who find themselves in love with or romantically attracted to someone of the “wrong” sex, that is, to someone whose sex is discordant with their own sexual orientation. Because we lack a word for describing this combination, the term bisexual appears to them to best describe their phenomenological state. This is particularly true if the romantic attraction to that person has also led to sexual desire for him or her. I base this suggestion on Lisa Diamond’s brilliant 2003 article in Psychological Review (“What Does Sexual Orientation Orient? A Biobehavioral Model Distinguishing Romantic Love and Sexual Desire”) and on the closely related work of anthropologist Helen Fisher. Diamond’s major thesis is that sexual desire is gender oriented—we sexually desire members of one sex or the other—but romantic attraction is person oriented: We fall in love with a particular person, not his or her gender. Diamond also offers a persuasive evolutionary argument for why romantic attraction and sexual desire are fundamentally independent processes—albeit concordant for most people.
    [Show full text]
  • Running Head: FAILURE to REPLICATE RETROCAUSAL RECALL 1
    Running Head: FAILURE TO REPLICATE RETROCAUSAL RECALL 1 Failure to Replicate Retrocausal Recall Imants Barušs and Vanille Rabier King=s University College at The University of Western Ontario © 2014 Imants Barušs and Vanille Rabier Author Note Imants Barušs, Department of Psychology, King=s University College at The University of Western Ontario; Vanille Rabier, Department of Psychology, King=s University College at The University of Western Ontario. Vanille Rabier is now at Bimini Biological Field Station, Bahamas. This study began as Vanille Rabier=s undergraduate thesis in psychology at King=s University College. This research was supported by King=s University College and Medical Technology (W. B.) Inc. The authors thank Daryl Bem for providing us with the software and instructions for running the experiment; Carolyn van Lier, Jennifer Stewart, and Terra Duchene for interacting with participants; Arwen Sweet for data entry; Sauro Camiletti for advice about statistics; Julia Mossbridge for feedback about the study; and Shannon Foskett for literature searches, critical comments, and proofreading. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Imants Barušs, Department of Psychology, King=s University College at The University of Western Ontario, 266 Epworth Ave., London, Ontario, Canada N6A 2M3. E-mail: [email protected] Running Head: FAILURE TO REPLICATE RETROCAUSAL RECALL 2 Abstract In two temporally inverted memory experiments, Daryl Bem found that participants had better recall for words that were practiced after the recall task than for control words that were not practiced after the recall task. We attempted to replicate the second of Bem=s two experiments with the addition of a personality measure.
    [Show full text]