Coming Out of the Margins: The 66th Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association

The 66th Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association, held in Mexico, stood out as a highly educational and collaborative academic gathering, dedicated to fostering partnerships among research groups exploring the anomalous aspects of consciousness. It seems to us, although we may be mistaken, that some psi researchers underestimated the significance of this convention, the first in a Hispanic country, which could explain their absence. This was a first-rate meeting, with carefully selected presentations, as well as a visionary presidential address and a stimulating J. B. Rhine invited address following a luxurious banquet in a nearby hotel. After four decades of stagnation, this convention established Mexico as a prominent “player” in parapsychological research and theory. Another reason this conference was important was the inclusion of several well-designed studies on mediumship and associated phenomena, topics too often shunned in previous conventions. For example, Everton Maraldi (et al., 2024) presented an exhaustive survey of physical phenomena reported from sessions with mediums. A third salience was the outstanding pre-convention collection of papers on the field of consciousness research in general, clarifying the role that parapsychology plays in the exploration of understanding and consciousness.

...this convention established Mexico as a prominent "player" in parapsychological research and theory.

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At the risk of omitting mention of other outstanding papers, we would like to highlight a few that we found especially provocative. Alex Álvarez’s (2024) discussion of psi in non-human animals made the case that psi conferred an evolutionary advantage and named brain structures that could be further investigated. Álvarez also was a member of a multidisciplinary team using a training course on “direct vision” to bypass the retina and that obtained significant results (especially for colors), a finding with real world implications (Bar et al., 2024). Another study with similar implications was conducted by Philip Cozzolino, Marieta Pehlivanova, and Jim Tucker (2024), which charted the impact of parents’ or caregivers’ encouragement or suppression of their children’s past life memories but became more encouraging as their child’s case became stronger. Another paper with real life aspects was Erika Pratte’s (2024) discussion of how psychotherapists can help survivors of near-death experiences integrate NDEs into their daily lives, suggestions of which psychotherapists as a group need to become aware.

There were some intriguing technological papers, such as John Kruth’s (2024) attempt to use ultra-weak photon emission during psi experiments and online surveys of first-hand experiences of poltergeist phenomena (Mayer & Nowara, 2024). There were a few replication studies, including an attempt to detect macro-PK in a laboratory bell jar, another study trying to replicate Jacobo Ginsberg’s studies of EEG concordance between separated participants (Quintero et al., 2024), the “return of a macro-PK star,” and re-checking the accuracy of OBE-derived information (Weiler et al., 2024).

We also want to highlight two innovative contributions to the field from a quantitative, statistical, and theoretical perspective. First, Javier Martinez (2024) proposed a framework suggesting that entropy levels could serve as potential predictors of psi, offering an inclusive explanation that integrates anomalous mind-matter interaction phenomena within the principles of thermodynamics. Second, Álex Escolà-Gascón (2024a), the co-author of this article, introduced a new statistical coefficient for measuring psi based on the item response theory paradigm. This coefficient is not intended to quantify psi performance directly but rather to assess the degree to which cognitive psi processes occur, with the aim of predicting an individual’s skill level. Measuring processes instead of outcomes or evidence for psi represents a promising step beyond the classical paradigm of chance expectation while also opening new avenues for exploring the mechanisms that could explain how psi works. In the same way, Simon Duan (2024) introduced a new investigative tool for studying PK phenomena, using computer simulations that could complement and enhance the two mathematical approaches we previously mentioned. The way measurement data in psi is being recorded is gaining traction and interest, reinforcing the scientific legitimacy of parapsychology in a more integrative way—without the need to pit qualitative and quantitative approaches against each other.

Building on the scientific contributions to PK, Eric Dullin (et al., 2024) presented a series of macro-PK experiments, linking their results to potential learning processes and learning curves. This research is particularly significant as it aligns with earlier findings by scholars such as James Carpenter, Charles Tart, and James Houran, who have explored the possibility that some form of learning might play a role in psi phenomena. David Acunzo (et al., 2024) and Arnaud Delorme (et al., 2024) also delved into this idea from a neuroscientific standpoint, further enriching this line of inquiry. Highlighting this convergence of perspectives is particularly striking given that, in 2024, the prestigious Brain Research Bulletin published (Escolà-Gascón, 2024b) a learning curve with key inflection points, suggesting that extrasensory perception may involve a trainable or learnable component. Could this be one of the most widely accepted hypotheses among psi researchers today?

In Germany, Gerhard Mayer and Sonja Nowara (2024) conducted an intriguing study on paranormal phenomena reported by social groups involved in ghost hunting. The survey results were compelling, revealing that 61.5% of participants were motivated to pursue ghost hunting after having paranormal experiences. This underscores the central role that human experience plays in fueling curiosity and engagement with this branch of parapsychology, which is deeply intertwined with the cultural identity and traditions of many communities. This type of research demonstrates that psi investigation isn’t just about data; it also requires narratives that are shaped by individuals’ subjective experiences.

This type of research demonstrates that psi investigation isn’t just about data; it also requires narratives that are shaped by individuals’ subjective experiences.

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Dual-aspect monism holds that mental and physical events are part of a psychophysiological neutral reality. Wolfgang Fach’s (2024) survey of the anecdotal and experimental literature on exceptional human experiences found support for this thesis, as both personal autonomy and social bonding were prominent. Gerhard Mayer (2024) discussed how a celebrated courtroom drama demonstrated the role of fear of psi, a topic too seldom addressed in the psi literature. Pehlivanova and Greyson (2024) discovered that the cognitive styles of psi researchers and psi skeptics resembled each other more closely than did the former and “psi believers” in the general public. Helané Wahbeh and her associates (2024) described the most recent iteration of their profile to describe how people experience noetic information, noting the high rank given to knowing through dreams. In addition, Thomas Brophy (2024) used Sir Roger Penrose’s neo-Platonic ontology as a possible foundation for parapsychological science.

Maraldi’s (2024) presidential address, “Beyond the Fringe,” was nothing less than a visionary roadmap for implementing Frederick Myer’s century-old call for integrating spirituality into science and society. Maraldi also bemoaned the invisibility of psi, as much of what behavioral and social scientists do when they investigate the phenomenology and correlates of anomalous experiences in the general population is actually parapsychology.

For Maraldi (2024), parapsychology involves investigating not only the characteristics, meanings, and psychological impact of anomalous experiences but also whether they involve unknown forces or processes apparently outside the realm of human capabilities. From a historical perspective, psychical researchers have pioneered the study of cognitive biases, illusions, near-death and out-of-body experiences, dissociation, and trance, as well as dreams and other alterations of consciousness. They have laid the foundation for transpersonal psychology, understanding the beginning of religion, and the role of spirituality in mental health. Parapsychologists pioneered or contributed in important ways to the use of meta-analyses, blinding methods, and randomization, now considered standard in medicine and other fields.

Maraldi (2024) suggested several ways in which parapsychology could move from the margins to play a central role in the behavioral and social sciences. His proposals included interdisciplinary exchanges more adherence to open science/metascience initiatives, and the importance of strengthening the relationship of parapsychologists with the larger society. Maraldi (2024) placed a special focus on terminology, recommending the use of terms that would not alarm editors of non-parapsychological journals when papers were submitted for publication. Maraldi also noted that such terms as “anomalous” and “extraordinary” are culturally specific, as what is “extraordinary” in one culture might be “ordinary” in another one.

Maraldi (2024) called for expanding the geographical and cultural horizons of psi research, including to countries with histories of scientific investigation that have bypassed psi phenomena. This includes countries where there are large numbers of indigenous people with shamans are similar practitioners, whose work might have an apparent basis in psi.

He (Maraldi, 2024) also advocated pluralistic research approaches, both in the laboratory and in the field, noting that the latter probably approximates the real thing more so than the former. People’s non-ordinary experiences are not just anecdotes; they form the basis through which they imbue meaning to these experiences.

Maraldi’s (2024) final recommendation was to educate the wider public because the recognition of psi may positively impact their lives. This suggestion resembled those of papers reviewed earlier on real life applications of psi. Maraldi (2024) vowed to actualize these visions, calling for PA members to join him in taking psi research out of the margins and giving it a well-deserved role in scientific inquiry.

...calling for PA members to join him in taking psi research out of the margins and giving it a well-deserved role in scientific inquiry.

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Nuria Ciofalo’s (2024) colorful banquet speech emphasized the importance of indigenous wisdom, using Meso-America as an example, as it called for the “decolonization” of today’s predominately Eurocentric paradigms. Her presentation was an inspirational finale to a spectacularly successful convention.

To wrap up, one of the greatest values of these academic gatherings is the camaraderie and unity among researchers committed to advancing knowledge in parapsychology. Once again, the PA has shown that truly professional and scientific communities are those that embrace diversity, innovation, and the collective effort to build a model of science that is inclusive, not exclusive to a select few. Hopefully, we can reach more researchers, enthusiasts, and curious minds to highlight the importance of parapsychology, fostering continued collaboration and learning toward a more democratic and open science. See you at the next convention!

References

Acunzo, D. J., Lenz, J. E., Dunseath, W. J. R., Hanchak, E., & Kelly, E. F. (2024, August 22-25). The return of a high performing psi participant: Behavioral results of an ESP task with EEG [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Álvarez, A. A. (2024, August 22-25). Is psi rooted in biology? A theoretical proposal based on consilience [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Bar, N., Álvarez, A. A., Rodrigo, A., Barbakow, G.-V., Quintero, E., Martínez, J., … D’León, R. (2024, August 22-25). Direct vision: A research program exploring extra-ocular vision in children [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Brophy, T. (2024, August 22-25). Penrose’s neo-platonic ontology as a foundation for a science of parapsychology [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Ciofalo, N. (2024, August 22-25). J. B. Rhine address: Indigenous psychologies from Cem Anahuac (Mesoamerica) [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Cozzolino, P. J., Pehlivanova, M., & Tucker, J. B. (2024, August 22-25). Parental encouragement and suppression of a child’s past-life memories [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Delorme, A., Wahbeh, H., & Radin, D. (2024, August 22-25). Using online tasks to test the robustness of intuitive abilities [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Duan, S. X. (2024, August 22-25). Computer simulation of PK (psychokinesis): New experimental tool for psi research [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Dullin, E., Roncalli, S. F., & Janet, D. (2024, August 22-25). Macro-PK experiments – New results in confined mode and observation of a learning curve [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Escolà-Gascón, Á (2024a, August 22-25). Beyond chance: Demonstration of a new mathematical estimator for psi phenomena [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Escolà-Gascón, Á (2024b, October). Our brains sense the future through a new quantum-like implicit learning mechanism. Brain Research Bulletin, 215, 111048. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.111048

Fach, W. (2024, August 22-25). Exceptional experiences as phenomenological and empirical evidence for dual-aspect monism [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Kruth, J. (2024, August 22-25). Subtle energies, photons, & physiology [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Maraldi, E. D. O. (2024, August 22-25). Presidential address:
Beyond the fringe: Parapsychology’s contributions to science and contemporary thought [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Maraldi, E. D. O., Marwaha, S., & Moll, J. (2024, August 22-25). The physical phenomena of spiritualist séances and sitter groups: A systematic review of the literature and discussion of psychological hypotheses [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Martinez, J. (2024, August 22-25). Information dynamics in anomalous phenomena [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Mayer, G. A. (2024, August 22-25). Psi as a threat – The poltergeist case of Carol Compton [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Mayer, G. A., & Nowara, S. (2024, August 22-25). German ghosthunters – Results of an online survey [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Pehlivanova, M., & Greyson, B. (2024, August 22-25). Cognitive styles and psi: Psi researchers are more similar to skeptics than to lay believers [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Pratte, E. A. (2024, August 22-25). The intersection of psychotherapy and near-death experiences: Schmeidler Outstanding Student Award (2021) invited address [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Quintero, E., Arriola, R., Álvarez, A., & D’León, R. (2024, August 22-25). Replication of Jacobo Grinberg’s transferred potential through electroencephalography [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Wahbeh, H., Glick, B., & Kreigsman, M. (2024, August 22-25). The noetic signature inventory norms and patterns [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45

Weiler, M., Casseb, R., & Acunzo, D. (2024, August 22-25). Investigating the accuracy of perceptions during out-of-body experiences [Conference presentation abstract]. 66th annual convention of the Parapsychological Association, Mérida, México. https://tinyurl.com/2uj3wb45