The purpose of the present study is to test whether hallucinatory experiences respond to the dimensionality principle and to detect potential differences between a group of “hallucinators” and a group of “non-hallucinators” with regard to personality traits in 214 Peruvian undergraduates students (non-clinical sample) and 30 outpatients (clinical sample). Among a sample of undergraduates, it was predicted that those who reported a number of anomalous perceptual experiences would score higher than nonexperiencers on the hallucination prone (auditive, visual, hipnagogic/hipnopompic and tactile), fantasy proneness, absorption, dissociation, and the cognitive-perceptual factor of the schizotypal questionnaire. All the predictions were significantly confirmed except those concerning interpersonal and disorganized schizotypy.

The purpose of the present study is to test whether hallucinatory experiences respond to the dimensionality principle and to detect potential differences between a group of “hallucinators” and a group of “non-hallucinators” with regard to personality traits in 214 Peruvian undergraduates students (non-clinical sample) and 30 outpatients (clinical sample). Among a sample of undergraduates, it was predicted that those who reported a number of anomalous perceptual experiences would score higher than nonexperiencers on the hallucination prone (auditive, visual, hipnagogic/hipnopompic and tactile), fantasy proneness, absorption, dissociation, and the cognitive-perceptual factor of the schizotypal questionnaire. All the predictions were significantly confirmed except those concerning interpersonal and disorganized schizotypy.

Se estudiaron las experiencias anómalas del momento en que las personas se están quedando dormidas, como el estado hipnagógico (HG) o de cuando se despiertan del sueño, como el estado hipnopómpico (HP). Se aplicó una encuesta a 436 participantes de ambos sexos, 51 % mujeres y 49 % varones, de edades entre 17 y 80 años (M = 33,53). Se analizó la frecuencia relativa de las modalidades sensoriales de imaginería HG y HP, contenido e interpretación. Los resultados indicaron mayor proporción de respuestas HG que HP. Las experiencias más frecuentes fueron la sensación de caída, la imaginería visual, auditiva, táctil, y la sensación de presencia, seguida por sensaciones corporales y movimientos. Se presentaron pocas respuestas de imaginería olfativa y gustativa. Adicionalmente, se realizó un análisis cualitativo de ambos tipos...

Se diseñó una encuesta on-line dirigida a interesados en temas new age, esoterismo y simpatizantes de una diversidad de experiencias psicológicas anómalas, espirituales, y paranormales (N = 1733; 70% mujeres y 30% varones, Media edad = 31,31). Los obj etivos de este estudio fueron: 1) evaluar la frecuencia y porcentaje de catorce tipos de experiencias, 2) medir el grado de su impacto emocional, y 3) relacionar cada experiencia con variables demográficas, tales como género, edad, estado civil, orden de nacimiento, religión y  espiritualidad

Se estudiaron dos muestras: una compuesta por 214 estudiantes de psicología de una universidad de Lima (74% mujeres y 26% varones), y la segunda por 184 estudiantes de educación secundaria de mayores de Pucallpa, (42% mujeres y 58% varones).Tanto estudiantes limeños como pucallpinos con experiencias aparicionales mostraron mayor propensidad a  experimentar percepciones inusuales pseudoalucinatorias que quienes no tuvieron la experiencia, así como también mayor propensión a la esquizotipia en comparación con quienes no tuvieron estas experiencias.

Se estudian las experiencias paranormales, percibidas de acuerdo a contextos diferenciados. Investigaciones previas demuestran el rol de las creencias paranormales o del pensamiento mágico como una influencia adaptativa y protectora potencial, tanto en la esquizotipia positiva como en la negativa. Se trabajó con 1990 participantes, 416 del grupo paranormal y 1574 no involucrados en temas paranormales; aplicándose el Inventario Oxford-Liverpool de Sentimientos y Experiencias, que evalúa cuatro dimensiones de propensión a la esquizotipia, y el Cuestionario de Experiencias Paranormales; asimismo, se diseñó un índice de experiencias paranormales según el número de respuestas afirmativas a preguntas de experiencias paranormales. Los resultados indicaron que se encontraron diferencias estadísticas significativas entre los grupos estudiados.

In this article the author discusses the phenomenology, neuropsychological and psychodynamical issues about poltergeist activity, with main emphasis on Andrés Venier’s case, of Río Tercero, province of Córdoba, Argentina. The phenomenon seems to be caused by unconscious psychokinesis (mind over matter). These events have been reported since antiquity. Its phenomenology is described in terms of throwings and displacements of objects, noises, lights, apparitions and foul smellings. Besides, poltergeists are capable of interference with electronic equipment while other reports include somatic lesions.

An apparition is a visual experience in which there appears to be a person or animal present, often in connection with an agent who is dying or undergoing some other crisis. A number of hypotheses were tested: people seeing apparitions and having other apparition-like experiences (experients) have a higher capacity for absorption, fantasy and dissociation proneness, high neuroticism and schizotypy and score higher on three sensory modalities of hallucinatory experience than non-experients. This study demonstrated the viability of adopting a psychological approach in order to better understand the apparitional experience.

The continuum hypothesis of psychosis suggests that symptoms as well as hallucinations can make part of normal consciousness in the general population. In the present study we examined three factors hypothetically related to hallucinatory experiences: fantasy proneness, psychological absorption and dissociative experiences. We surveyed a sample of 650 university students of both sexes (24% males and 76% females; ages 17-57 years) and found significant differences in absorption (r= .61 p < .001) and –although somewhat less– fantasy proneness (r= .54; p < .001) and dissociation (r= .55; p < .001) with the total hallucination score. Given the consistency of our findings with regard to absorption, dissociation, and fantasy proneness, we conclude a validation of hallucinatory experiences in the normal population.

This study aims at distinguishing self-named psychics (or clairvoyant) from a control group (non-psychics) considering the variable “ frequency of unusual perceptual experiences” (anomalous perception), and the psychological construct “limit”. Participants were divided into psychics and non-psychics (people who had psychic experiences but no extrasensory capacities). Both psychics (N = 87) and the control group (N = 112) completed the Cardiff Anomalous Perceptions Scale (CAPS), the Revised Transliminality Scale (RTS), the Limits Questionnaire, and a scale to measure their psychic abilities. All the hypotheses were confirmed: psychics had higher scores on transliminality, anomalous perception and “fine limit” in comparison with non-psychics. In addition, the variable “anomalous experiences” was the best predictor for the psychics group (β = .073; p = .03), followed by the...

The aim of this study is to assess the frequency of paranormal experiences and their relationship with the levels of spiritual intelligence and existential satisfaction. Three instruments were administered to a sample of 200 male and female participants: the Paranormal Experiences Survey, the Spiritual Intelligence Self Report Inventory and the Existential Satisfaction Scale. The results show that survey respondents had at least one of these experiences, and that spiritual intelligence is a strong predictor of them. The relationship with existential satisfaction was also significant. These experiences result in a feeling of spiritual satisfaction, thus suggestingthat they can generate positive effects and—far from being disturbing—contribute to the individual's ability to solve meaning and existential value issues. In conclusion, spiritual intelligence could be more adaptive for thos...

resumen

Se estudiaron las experiencias anómalas del momento en que las personas se están quedando dormidas, como el estado hipnagógico (HG) o de cuando se despiertan del sueño, como el estado hipnopómpico (HP). Se aplicó una encuesta a 436 participantes de ambos sexos, 51 % mujeres y 49 % varones, de edades entre 17 y 80 años (M = 33,53). Se analizó la frecuencia relativa de las modalidades sensoriales de imaginería HG y HP, contenido e interpretación. Los resultados indicaron mayor proporción de respuestas HG que HP. Las experiencias más frecuentes fueron la sensación de caída, la imaginería visual, auditiva, táctil, y la sensación de presencia, seguida por sensaciones corporales y movimientos. Se presentaron pocas respuestas de imaginería olfativa y gustativa. Adicionalmente, se realizó un análisis cualitativo de ambos tipos...

Se diseñó una encuesta on-line dirigida a interesados en temas new age, esoterismo y simpatizantes de una diversidad de experiencias psicológicas anómalas, espirituales, y paranormales (N = 1733; 70% mujeres y 30% varones, Media edad = 31,31). Los obj etivos de este estudio fueron: 1) evaluar la frecuencia y porcentaje de catorce tipos de experiencias, 2) medir el grado de su impacto emocional, y 3) relacionar cada experiencia con variables demográficas, tales como género, edad, estado civil, orden de nacimiento, religión y  espiritualidad

Se estudiaron dos muestras: una compuesta por 214 estudiantes de psicología de una universidad de Lima (74% mujeres y 26% varones), y la segunda por 184 estudiantes de educación secundaria de mayores de Pucallpa, (42% mujeres y 58% varones).Tanto estudiantes limeños como pucallpinos con experiencias aparicionales mostraron mayor propensidad a  experimentar percepciones inusuales pseudoalucinatorias que quienes no tuvieron la experiencia, así como también mayor propensión a la esquizotipia en comparación con quienes no tuvieron estas experiencias.

Se estudian las experiencias paranormales, percibidas de acuerdo a contextos diferenciados. Investigaciones previas demuestran el rol de las creencias paranormales o del pensamiento mágico como una influencia adaptativa y protectora potencial, tanto en la esquizotipia positiva como en la negativa. Se trabajó con 1990 participantes, 416 del grupo paranormal y 1574 no involucrados en temas paranormales; aplicándose el Inventario Oxford-Liverpool de Sentimientos y Experiencias, que evalúa cuatro dimensiones de propensión a la esquizotipia, y el Cuestionario de Experiencias Paranormales; asimismo, se diseñó un índice de experiencias paranormales según el número de respuestas afirmativas a preguntas de experiencias paranormales. Los resultados indicaron que se encontraron diferencias estadísticas significativas entre los grupos estudiados.

In this article the author discusses the phenomenology, neuropsychological and psychodynamical issues about poltergeist activity, with main emphasis on Andrés Venier’s case, of Río Tercero, province of Córdoba, Argentina. The phenomenon seems to be caused by unconscious psychokinesis (mind over matter). These events have been reported since antiquity. Its phenomenology is described in terms of throwings and displacements of objects, noises, lights, apparitions and foul smellings. Besides, poltergeists are capable of interference with electronic equipment while other reports include somatic lesions.

An apparition is a visual experience in which there appears to be a person or animal present, often in connection with an agent who is dying or undergoing some other crisis. A number of hypotheses were tested: people seeing apparitions and having other apparition-like experiences (experients) have a higher capacity for absorption, fantasy and dissociation proneness, high neuroticism and schizotypy and score higher on three sensory modalities of hallucinatory experience than non-experients. This study demonstrated the viability of adopting a psychological approach in order to better understand the apparitional experience.

The continuum hypothesis of psychosis suggests that symptoms as well as hallucinations can make part of normal consciousness in the general population. In the present study we examined three factors hypothetically related to hallucinatory experiences: fantasy proneness, psychological absorption and dissociative experiences. We surveyed a sample of 650 university students of both sexes (24% males and 76% females; ages 17-57 years) and found significant differences in absorption (r= .61 p < .001) and –although somewhat less– fantasy proneness (r= .54; p < .001) and dissociation (r= .55; p < .001) with the total hallucination score. Given the consistency of our findings with regard to absorption, dissociation, and fantasy proneness, we conclude a validation of hallucinatory experiences in the normal population.

This study aims at distinguishing self-named psychics (or clairvoyant) from a control group (non-psychics) considering the variable “ frequency of unusual perceptual experiences” (anomalous perception), and the psychological construct “limit”. Participants were divided into psychics and non-psychics (people who had psychic experiences but no extrasensory capacities). Both psychics (N = 87) and the control group (N = 112) completed the Cardiff Anomalous Perceptions Scale (CAPS), the Revised Transliminality Scale (RTS), the Limits Questionnaire, and a scale to measure their psychic abilities. All the hypotheses were confirmed: psychics had higher scores on transliminality, anomalous perception and “fine limit” in comparison with non-psychics. In addition, the variable “anomalous experiences” was the best predictor for the psychics group (β = .073; p = .03), followed by the...