Subject Research Guides   University of West Florida Libraries

Parapsychology & the Occult

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries Bibliographies Biographies General Works

Online Databases Journals Organizations & Associations Additional Internet Sites

 

Encyclopedias & Dictionaries

Dictionary of Mind and Spirit. 1992. (Stx. BF 1025 D53 1992)

This alphabetically-arranged work defines over 500 terms related to the mind and spirit, such as psychokinesis, mediumship, and clairvoyance. While it lacks illustrations, the work contains a bibliography of over 200 items and a complete index.

Donning International Encyclopedic Psychic Dictionary. 1986. (Ref. BF 1025 D66 1986)

This comprehensive dictionary provides brief definitions of thousands of terms and phrases, complete with synonyms and cross references. The appendices also provide valuable information, such as 48 self-study lessons and a listing of terms arranged into general categories of psychic skills.

Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits. 2000. (Ref. BF 1461 G85 2000)

Arranged alphabetically, this work summarizes over 500 biographies, concepts, historical events and places, phenomena, and more relating to the history and actual investigation of the paranormal. Most entries also contain references to additional reading.

Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology. 3 volumes. 1984. (Ref. BF 1407 E52 1984)

With over 4,000 entries, this encyclopedia covers all aspects of the occult sciences, magic, demonology, superstitions, spiritism, mysticism, metaphysics, psychical science, and parapsychology. General and topical indexes are included.

Encyclopedia of Parapsychology and Psychical Research. 1991. (Ref. BF 1025 B47 1991)

This international work includes over 1,400 terms related to parapsychology and psychical research for professionals in these fields, as well as for the general reader. Appendices provide a summary of psychical research in 18 different countries, as well as an extensive bibliography.

Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience. 2000. (Ref. Q 157 E57 2000)

Arranged alphabetically, this interdisciplinary encyclopedia summarizes over 2,000 terms and concepts related to the controversial subject of pseudoscience. Entries include prominent phenomena, major figures, events, topics, places, and associations - both historical and contemporary.

Encyclopedia of Superstitions, Folklore, and the Occult Sciences of the World. 3 volumes. 1903. (Ref. BF 1407 D35 1903a)

This is an excellent source for an historical perspective on superstitions and folklore. Hundreds of entries are arranged alphabetically within broad subject categories.

Encyclopedia of the Unexplained: Magic, Occultism, and Parapsychology. 1974. (Ref. BF 1411 C32 1974)

This encyclopedia provides hundreds of alphabetically-arranged articles relating to parapsychology and the occult. The text is complemented by numerous color plates and black and white illustrations. The fully cross-referenced work concludes with an extensive bibliography of over 500 related materials and an index.

Medieval Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs, and Customs. 2 volumes. 2000. (Ref. GR 35 M43 2000)

This extensive, lightly-illustrated work presents over 300 alphabetically-arranged articles concerning the lore of the Middle Ages and the myths, traditions, and legends of that time. Cross references and lists of additional readings, as well as a comprehensive index, are included.

New Age Encyclopedia. 1990. (Ref. BP 605 N48 M4 1990)

Subtitled A guide to the beliefs, concepts, terms, people, and organizations that make up the new global movement toward spiritual development, health and healing, higher consciousness, and related subjects, this work provides an overview and chronology of the New Age Movement. The work contains over 300 alphabetical entries covering the major themes, concepts, persons, and beliefs of the movement, while an appendix provides a listing of educational institutions offering degrees in New Age topics.

Occult Glossary
http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/ts/gdep-og.htm

Originally published in 1933, this "compendium of Oriental and Theosophical terms" by Gottfried de Purucker defines hundreds of terms concerning the "scope and principles underlying an age-old tradition respecting the constitution of man and the universe in which he lives."

Skeptic's Dictionary: A Guide for the New Millenium
http://skepdic.com

Maintained by Robert T. Carroll of Sacramento City College, this site, organized both topically and alphabetically, provides "over 338 skeptical definitions and essays on occult, paranormal, supernatural, and pseudoscientific ideas and practices" and also contains links to additional resources.

Strange Minds: A Sourcebook of Unusual Mental Phenomena. 1976. (Ref. BF 1031 S89)

This source covers elements of parapsychology, psychosomatic medicine, and related aspects of human behavior. Included data was "selected according to [its] strangeness and [its] tendency to contradict prevailing scientific hypotheses." Entries are arranged under 6 broad categories, each of which is further subdivided. References to additional publications are also included.

Bibliographies

Animal Magnetism, Early Hypnosis, and Psychical Research: 1766-1925: An Annotated Bibliography. 1988. (Ref. BF 1141 C7 1988)

This bibliography provides a selective, yet extensive, listing of the most significant writings, published worldwide, focusing on animal magnetism and related themes. The work is arranged by year of publication, but is complimented with comprehensive name, title, and subject indexes.

Introductory Bibliography of Near-Death Experiences
http://www.iands.org/bib.html

Produced by the International Association for Near-Death Studies, this introductory bibliography provides citations to dozens of books related to near-death experiences.

Biographies

Lives & Letters in American Parapsychology: A Biographical History, 1850 - 1987. 1988. (Stx. BF 1026 B46 1988)

This work presents biographical portraits of 40 parapsychologists, both contemporary and historical. Entries provide a commentary, chronological narrative, general biography, and a photograph. Selected entries also contain bibliographies of related works and/or lists of works by the person being portrayed.

General Works

The UWF Libraries contain many books on parapsychology, the occult, witchcraft, the psychology of dreams, astrology, and alternative religions. Those books listed below represent only a small sampling of available works. Patrons may use the online catalog to identify additional materials, or may browse the bookstacks of circulating materials under the call number classification of BF.

The following list outlines selected keywords related to the field of parapsychology that researchers may wish to use when searching the library's online catalog or online databases.

Clairvoyance Extrasensory perception Folklore Hauntings Mythology Occult Parapsychology Poltergeist

Psychical phenomena Psychical research Psychokinesis Supernatural Superstitions Telepathy Witchcraft

Complete Idiot's Guide to Being Psychic. 1999. (Available via netLibrary)

Using the signature style and format of the Idiot's Guide series, this easily-readable work provides a history and overview of parapsychology and discusses such topics as intuition, kinesthesis, and mind over matter. In addition, it expains how to develop one's psychic abilities and answers the questions "what can a psychic tell you?" and "what do science and psychologists have to say about being psychic?" A glossary and bibliography of suggested readings conclude the work.

Foundations of Parapsychology. 1986. (Stx. BF 1031 F54 1986)

Subtitled Exploring the Boundaries of Human Capability, this book discusses parapsychology within four major parts which provide an overview and history of the field and a summary of research methods, findings, and implications. The work contains 17 black and white photographs and illustrations and concludes with a bibliography and name and subject indexes.

Handbook of Parapsychology. 1977. (Stx. BF 1031 H254)

This extensive work is divided into eleven broad categories and covers such topics as the history of parapsychology, research methods, altered states of consciousness, parapsychological models and theories, fields related to parapsychology, and perception and communication. A glossary, bibliography, and name and subject indexes conclude the work.

Introduction to Parapsychology. 1989. (Stx. BF 1031 I79 1989)

This work provides an introduction to the field of parapsychology through 16 easily-readable chapters. The book concludes with a substantial list of references and name and subject indexes.

Parapsychology: The Science of Psiology. 1986. (Stx. BF 1031 N357 1986)

This work introduces the reader to the field of psiology with the purpose of making a "systematic and orderly presentation of the chaotic accumulation of experiences, experiments, and hypotheses pertaining to psi - the psychic connection between mind and matter and between mind and mind - with the desire of furthering the establishment of psiology as a science." A glossary, bibliography, and name and subject indexes follow the book's 16 chapters.

Parapsychology: The Science of Unusual Experience. 2001. (Stx. BF 1031 P337 2001)

This scholarly work is divided into three parts entitled Myth and Method, Beliefs, and Unusual Experiences, which cover such topics as dreams, meditation, unconscious awareness, near-death experiences, alien abductions, astrology, psychic fraud, and paranormal cognition. The book concludes with a brief glossary, extensive list of references, and an index.

Physicist's Guide to Skepticism: Applying the Laws of Physics to Faster-Than-Light Travel, Psychic Phenomena, Telepathy, Time Travel, UFO's, and Other Pseudoscientific Claims. 1988. (Stx. Q 175 R5648)

This work covering the philosophy of science, the laws of nature, and the exponential growth of scientific knowledge in recent centuries, was written by an experimental physicist, yet for the layperson. The book's theme focuses on tracing the "boundary between fantasy and reality."

Science and Supernature: A Critical Appraisal of Parapsychology. 1990. (Stx. BF 1045 S33 A42 1990)

This book's author discusses many conceptual and methodological problems historically faced by parapsychologists and researchers. Ultimately, its author offers the following, "Given the weakness of the evidence accumulated over a century, the most interesting questions must surely be, Why does the pursuit endure?" Part 1 provides a general overview of the field, while Part 2 addresses psi in the laboratory. A lengthy list of references concludes the work.

Science or Pseudoscience: Magnetic Healing, Psychic Phenomena, and Other Heterodoxies. 2001. (Stx. Q 157 B24 2001)

This book's 7 chapters attempt to provide a definition of pseudoscience, as well as to explain the difficulties in establishing such a definition. Furthermore, the author discusses what qualifies as pseudoscience and how such ideas and experiences are differentiated from genuine science. An extensive list of references and a comprehensive index conclude the work.

Spirituality and the Occult: From the Renaissance to the Modern Age. 2001. (Stx. BF 1434 E85 G53 2001)

This extensively-researched, yet concise, scholarly work presents a case for the "reappraisal of the marginal status of occult spiritualities in relation to Western intellectual and cultural history." Eight chapters follow an introduction and discuss such topics as nature, science, magic, the body, health and death, society, religion, and history, as they pertain to occult thought. Over 40 pages of notes precede the book's index.

Works of William James: Essays in Psychical Research. 1986. (Stx. BF 1031 J225 1986)

This work contains every writing known to have been published by William James on the subject of psychical research, including reviews, circulars, reports, public letters, and essays which appeared in various journals. The documents were primarily written between 1884 and 1909. A comprehensive index concludes the work.

Online Databases

Academic Index ASAP. 1980- (InfoTrac)

General Academic Index is a comprehensive index to journal and newspaper articles in the social sciences, sciences, and humanities. Coverage of popular and scholarly journals, as well as newspapers, is provided in this source.

Electronic Collections Online (ECO). 1995- (FirstSearch)

This multi-disciplinary database provides the full-text of articles published in over 3,000 sources relating to psychology and wide-ranging other disciplines spanning 1995 to the present.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. (Britannica)

This resource provides a searchable, electronic version of the multi-volume, printed Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is housed on the Encyclopedia Shelves in Reference at Ref. AE 5 E363 1997.

PsycARTICLES. 1988- (American Psychological Association)

This database searches a high-quality subset of the PsycINFO database (described below), and retrieves full-text articles from 38 APA journals (plus 4 Canadian and European titles) back to 1988. Identify pertinent subject descriptors using the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms (Ref. Desk BF 32 T48 & FWB).

PsycINFO. 1887- (ProQuest)

PsycINFO is an electronic version of a comprehensive index that contains abstracts of journal articles, books, and chapters of books in psychology. Links to some full-text articles are provided. Volumes 53-82 of the print version, Psychological Abstracts, is available at the FWB campus library. Identify pertinent subject descriptors using the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms (Ref. Desk BF 32 T48 & FWB).

Social Sciences Full-Text. 1983- (WilsonWeb)

This multidisciplinary database provides citations and abstracts for journal articles across the social sciences.

Sociological Abstracts. 1963- (Cambridge)

This electronic version of Sociological Abstracts (print version avialble at Ref. HM 1 S67 from 1953-1962) provides citations to over 2,000 journals in sociology and related disciplines, including psychology. It also provides links to selected articles in full-text.

Wilson OmniFile Full-Text Plus. 1994- (WilsonWeb)

This multi-disciplinary database provides the full-text of articles published in over 1,400 sources spanning 1994 to the present.

Journals

The following is a partial list of journals available on the second floor of the UWF's main library. Those with hyperlinked titles are also available selectively online, though the coverage dates will differ from the dates for our print and microform holdings.

Asian Folklore Studies
	InfoTrac OneFile	April 1992 to Present
European Journal of Parapsychology
	World Wide Web	Tables of Contents & general information only
Folklore
	InfoTrac OneFile	January 1997 to Present
Folklore (London, England)
	Wilson Select Plus	January 1997 to Present
International Journal of Parapsychology	Microfilm Cabinet 628 (2nd Floor)	1959 - 1968
Journal of American Folklore
	Wilson Select Plus	April 1998 to Present
Journal of Folklore Research
	Wilson Select Plus	January 1998 to Present
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research	BF 1011 I3	1970 to Current
Journal of Parapsychology
	InfoTrac OneFile 1980- (InfoTrac)	March 1989 to Present
Journal of Scientific Exploration
	World Wide Web	Abstracts & selected articles only
Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research	Microfilm 665 (2nd Floor)	Volumes 26 (1932 to Present)
	World Wide Web	Sample articles & abstracts only
Parapsychology Review	BF 1001 P29	1970 - 1990
Psychic Research: The Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research	Microfilm 665 (2nd Floor)	Volumes 22 - 25 (1928-1931)
Research in Phenomenology	Stx. B 829 .5 R47	Volumes 1-2 & 5-30 (1971-72 & 1975-2000)
	Wilson Select Plus	January 1995 to Present
Southern Folklore
	Wilson Select Plus	January 1998 to Present
Western Folklore
	Wilson Select Plus	January 1995 to Present

Organizations & Associations

American Association for Parapsychology
http://www.parapsychologydegrees.com/

Established in 1971, the AAP strives to "provide a better understanding of the scientific basis for extrasensory perception, and to assist in the development of a viable science, by reducing erroneous and preconceived ideas about psychical phenomena and their occurrences."

American Society for Psychical Research
http://www.aspr.com/

Founded in 1885, making it the oldest psychical research organization in the U.S., the ASPR supports the "scientific investigation of extraordinary or as yet unexplained phenomena."

Association for Research and Enlightenment
http://www.are-cayce.com

This membership organization's mission is to promote the study, application, and dissemination of the information in the psychic readings of Edgar Cayce. In addition to offering seminars and workshops, the organization also publishes books and a magazine discussing parapsychology, spirituality, and related topics.

Consciousness Research Laboratory
http://www.deanradin.com/para1.html

This site defines and describes parapsychology, explains how to develop one's psychic abilities, and answers numerous questions such as What do parapsychologists study? and What are the practical applications of psi?

International Association for Near-Death Studies
http://www.iands.org/index.html

"This site is provided as a public service to give reliable information about near-death experiences, along with resources for more information and support."

Koestler Parapsychology Unit: Edinburgh, Scotland
http://moebius.psy.ed.ac.uk/

Part of the psychology department at Edinburgh University, this organization's aim is to "conduct systematic and responsible research into the capacity attributed to some individuals to interact with their environment by means other than the recognised sensorimotor channels."

Parapsychological Association
http://www.parapsych.org/

An institutional member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Parapsychological Association is dedicated to the scientific research, discussion, and exploration of parapsychology. Its Web site offers a wealth of information on the topic, including articles, conference proceedings, and a calendar of events. The association is an international professional organization of scientists and scholars engaged in the study of psi (psychic) experiences, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, psychic healing, and precognition.

Parapsychology Foundation
http://www.parapsychology.org/

The Foundation's mission is to act as a worldwide forum for supporting the scientific exploration of psychic phenomena. The organization also serves as a clearinghouse for information on the science of parapsychology and psychical research, including grants for study and research in the field of parapsychology.

Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR)
http://www.princeton.edu/~pear/

Established at Princeton University in 1979, this organization's mission is "to pursue rigorous scientific study of the interaction of human consciousness with sensitive physical devices, systems, and processes common to contemporary engineering practice." At PEAR, an inter-disciplinary staff of engineers, physicists, psychologists, and humanists conducts a "comprehensive agenda of experiments and developing complementary theoretical models to enable better understanding of the role of consciousness in the establishment of physical reality."

Psychognosia
http://www.psychognosia.org/

Psychognosia, based in Cyprus, is a privately-funded, not-for-profit center for multi-disciplinary research and parapsychological investigations into anomalous phenomena and related disciplines.

Rhine Research Center and Institute for Parapsychology
http://www.rhine.org/

Through lectures, workshops, guest speakers, and other educational programs, the Rhine Research Center "aims to improve the human condition by creating a scientific understanding of those abilities and sensitivities that appear to transcend the ordinary limits of space and time" and to facilitate communication between parapsychology and other academic disciplines.

Society for Scientific Exploration
http://www.scientificexploration.org

Founded in 1982 by a committee of fourteen scientists and scholars who had identified the need for a new type of scientific organization, the society fosters the study of "all questions that are amenable to scientific investigation without restriction."

Additional Internet Sites

Frequently Asked Questions on Parapsychology
http://www.parapsych.org/faq_file1.html

This straight-forward site discusses the theory and practice of parapsychology, and answers questions about popular parapsychological phenomena.

Parapsychology Sources on the Internet
http://homepages.ed.ac.uk/ejua35/parapsy.htm

This metasite presents an extensive listing of Web sites, divided into 3 broad categories: Parapsychology Sources, Skeptical Sources, and Other Information.

(Page created by Kymberly Goodson)
Page currently maintained by Douglas Low: Social Sciences Librarian
John C. Pace Library: University of West Florida Library
Date Last Updated: May 2007