The Psychology of the Psychic

by Richard Kammann and David F. Marks

Book Overview

The X Files, The Haunting, The Sixth Sense, and The Blair Witch Project clearly show that the public has a tremendous fascination with the paranormal and the occult, and the media is all too eager to cater to people's wildest fantasies and fears. At a time when there is growing acceptance of pseudoscience and claims of psychic phenomena, this penetrating analysis of so-called psychic abilities is a long overdue and thorough refutation of the whole...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1573927988
• ISBN13: 9781573927987
• Release Date: December 2000
• Publisher: Prometheus Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Very informative and funny too

I agree with another reviewer that this book is useful even for the staunch believer in ESP. It is a very entertaining reading which is not often the case (I found Martin Gardner`s books rather boring and sometimes arrogant). The two authors are never arrogant. I particularly loved the last chapters that show how common "non-scientific" thinking is among said scientific communities. He gives some examples then concerning psychiatry and medicine. If you remember the Uri Geller craze you will enjoy the opening chapters also.

A critical look at psychic phenomena and human nature

If you're a firm believer in psychic abilities, you may find this book's skeptical stance to be a little disheartening. Read it anyway! It's loaded with useful and fascinating information.Psychology of the Psychic is a fair and honest look at mentalists, psychics, clairvoyants, "spoonbenders", and others who claim paranormal talents. Of particular interest to me were the techniques that showmen and charlatans use to convince others of their abilities, and how those techniques may be inadvertently used by those who believe they have experienced psychic phenomena.If you're a believer, this book will allow you to separate the wheat from the chaff, and identify the outright frauds.If you're a non-believer, this book will show you why so many people have faith in the paranormal, and will give you lots of ammunition when Aunt Bertha tells you about the marvelous new psychic she's been consulting (and handing over her checkbook to).A terrific, thorough book, with solid research presented in an easy-to-read and enjoyable manner.

A skeptic's look at the paranormal

Kammann and Marks take a serious, scientific approach to debunking many popular misconceptions, such as myths about the full moon. Although "psychic" spoonbender Uri Geller has long been forgotten by most people, their experiments on his "powers" and their look at the Stanford Research Institute's validation of those powers is fascinating. A must-read for people who are interested in critical thinking and in knowing the truth rather than accepting what they're told without question.