A Community Mail Survey of Psychic Experiences
July 5, 2017 DOI: 10.4324/9781315247366-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Survey |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,000 |
| Population | 300 University of Virginia students and 700 adult residents of Charlottesville and surrounding suburbs |
| Citations | 155 |
| Key findings | Over half of respondents claimed at least one ESP experience, and claimants tended to report many such experiences. Altered-state variables such as dream recall vividness and frequency were strong predictors, demographic variables generally were poor predictors, and age was strongly negatively related to déjà vu claims. Many respondents reported that psychic or psi-related experiences affected their attitudes toward life or lifestyles. |
Abstract
In March, 1974, a 46-item questionnaire was mailed to a randomly selected sample consisting of 300 students from the University of Virginia and 700 other adult residents of Charlottesville and surrounding suburbs. Items requested respondents to report the incidence and detailed characteristics of various psychic and psi-related experiences. Information concerning attitudes and the personal impact of such experiences was solicited, as well as demographic data. Usable questionnaires were obtained from 89% of the student sample and 51% of the town sample. Claims of psychic and psi-related experiences were rather wide-spread: over half of the respondents claimed at least one ESP experience, for example. There also was a tendency for persons who claimed psychic or psi-related experiences to claim a large number of them. Variables related to naturally-occurring altered states (e.g., vividness and frequency of dream recall) tended to be strong predictors of such experiences, while demographic variables generally were poor predictors. However, there was a strong negative relationship between age and claims of déjà vu experiences. Many respondents indicated that psychic or psi-related experiences affected their attitudes toward life and/or life-styles.
Citations in the library
Cited by 37
- Out‐of‐body experience and autoscopy of neurological origin Brain January 15, 2004
- Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit General Hospital Psychiatry July 1, 2003
- The phenomenology of near-death experiences American Journal of Psychiatry October 1, 1980
- Lucid dreaming incidence: A quality effects meta-analysis of 50 years of research Consciousness and Cognition June 20, 2016
- The incidence and determinants of visual phenomenology during out-of-body experiences Cortex June 6, 2008
and 32 more in the library