A grounded theory investigation into negative paranormal or spiritual experience, based on the ‘diabolical mysticism’ of William James
Janice Hartley, Michael Daniels
Transpersonal Psychology Review 2008 DOI: 10.53841/bpstran.2008.12.1.51 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study (grounded theory using semi-structured interviews) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 7 |
| Population | Individuals who reported negative paranormal or spiritual experiences |
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Key findings | Negative paranormal and spiritual experiences cannot be defined solely by their affective quality; they adversely affect the sense of self, cause distress, and are shaped by others' reactions. The authors propose that these experiences should be understood in the wider context of social environment and long-term influence, rather than in isolation. |
Abstract
This study explores negative paranormal and spiritual experiences in the light of William James’s concept of ‘diabolical mysticism ‘. The aim was to investigate the characteristics of these experiences, how they are interpreted by those who experience them, the rea.ciions of others, and their overall influence on people’s lives. The methodology used semi-structured interviews to develop a grounded theory. Seven participants were interviewed, five had psychiatric admissions after their experiences, and two did not. Experiences included ‘spirit possession’, ‘poltergeist’, ‘ghosts’, ‘alien abduction’ and massive spiritual energy. Analysis genera-ied six themes: (a) negative paranormal or spiritual experiences cannot be defined on purely affective quality; (b) they adversely affect the sense of self; (c) they unbalance or disturb; (d) they cause distress, as people cannot make sense of them; (e) other people’s reactions have enormous influence; and (f) they appear to be part of a process, suggestive of problem-solving or spiritual emergency. Results suggest it is not possible to differentiate between experiences with transformative potential and those that are purely destructive, by considering them in isolalion. Instead these experiences need, to be considered, in the wider context of social environment, and long-term influence on people’s lives. The paper crdi.cises the inadequacy of existing clinical and psychiatric approaches, and calls for transpersonal psychology to take a lead in this area.