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THE YOUNG SKEPTICS PROGRAM
 

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COURSE MATERIAL

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Psychology of Anomalous Experience

Instructor: James Alcock
York University

Course Website

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TEXTBOOK

Alcock, J.E. (1981). Parapsychology: Science or magic? Oxford:=20 Pergamon Press. (Out of print. Photocopies available)

LECTURE SCHEDULE

WEEK
TOPIC
READINGS

ONE

Introduction to anomalistics
CHAPTER ONE

TWO

Magic, religion and science

CHAPTER TWO

THREE

The psychology of belief

CHAPTER THREE

FOUR

Psychology of experience 1: Perception
CHAPTER FOUR

FIVE

Psychology of experience II: Memory

SIX

Fallibility of judgment

CHAPTER FIVE

TOPIC FOR PAPER/PROJECT DUE

SEVEN

MIDTERM

EIGHT

Parapsychological research I

CHAPTER SIX

NINE

Parapsychological research II

TEN

Statistics and psi I

CHAPTER SEVEN

ELEVEN

Statistics and psi II

TWELVE

Current issues in anomalistic psychology
CHAPTER EIGHT
 

Parapsychology: An overview
 
 
  
 

FINAL EXAM

  
     

PROJECT / REVIEW ARTICLE

Each student will be required to prepare a paper which reports the results of either a library review or a small research project.

The subject and proposed scope of the paper must be approved by the instructor.

Students are encouraged to develop their own small research project, rather than doing a library paper.

The paper should be approximately 2000 words (about 10 pages, typed, double-spaced).

Students are expected to take a critical perspective to their review of the literature and to follow CPA/APA style.

Each student is also required to submit, by the date indicated in the Lecture Schedule, a 3 X 5 inch file card which includes (1) the chosen topic, (2) two or three sentences describing the general approach that will be taken to the subject, and (3), two or three basic references pertaining to the topic. Subsequent to the submission of this card, changes can be made upon consultation with the instructor.

RECOMMENDED READINGS

  • Alcock, J.E. (1985). Parapsychology as a "spiritual science". In P. Kurtz (Ed.), A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology (pp. 537-568). Buffalo: Prometheus Books.
  • Alcock, J.E. (1987). Parapsychology: Science of the anomalous or search for the soul? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 10, 553-565.
  • Alcock, J.E. (1987). A to-do about dualism or a duel about data? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 10, 627-634.
  • Alcock, J.E. (1990). Science and supernature. Buffalo: Prometheus.
  • Alcock, J.E. (1992). Religion and rationality. In J. Schumaker (Ed.), Religion and mental health (pp. 122-131). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.
  • Alcock, J.E. (1994) An analysis of psychic sleuths' claims. In J. Nickell (Ed.), The psychic sleuths (pp. 172-190). Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.
  • Alcock, J.E. (1996). The propensity to believe. In Levitt, N. et al, The flight from reason. New York: New York Academy of Sciences.
  • Blackmore, S. (1982). Beyond the body. London, U.K.: Heineman. Cerullo, J.J. (1982). The secularization of the soul. Philadelphia: Institute for the Study of Human Issues.
  • Edge, H.L., Morris, R.L., Palmer, J. & Rush, J.H. (1986). Foundations of parapsychology. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
  • Gardner, M. (1981). Science: Good, bad, and bogus. Buffalo: Prometheus.
  • Gilovich, T. (1991). How we know what isn't so. Toronto: Maxwell Macmillan.
  • Hansel, M. (1989). The search for psychic power. Buffalo: Prometheus.
  • Hyman, R. (1989). The elusive quarry. Buffalo: Prometheus Books.
  • Kurtz, P. (Ed.) (1985). A skeptic's handbook of parapsychology. Buffalo: Prometheus
  • Leahy, T.H. & Leahy, G.E. (1983). Chicago: Nelson-Hall.
  • Marks, D. & Kammann, R. (1980). The psychology of the psychic. Buffalo: Prometheus
  • Mauskopf, S.H. & McVaugh, M.R. (1980). The elusive science. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
  • Moore, R.L. (1977). In search of white crows: Spiritualism, parapsychology, and American culture. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Neher. A. (1990). The psychology of transcendence. New York: Dover.
  • Palmer, J. & Rao, K.R. (1987). Where lies the bias? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 10, 618-627.
  • Radner, D. & Radner, M. Science and unreason. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
  • Randi, J. (1982). The truth about Uri Geller. Buffalo: Prometheus.
  • Randi, J. (1988) Flim-flam. Buffalo: Prometheus.
  • Randi, J. (1989). The faith healers. Buffalo: Prometheus.
  • Rao, K.R. & Palmer, J. (1987). The anomaly called psi: Recent research and criticism. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 10, 539-551.
  • Reed, G.F. (1988). The psychology of anomalous experience (Revised ed.). Buffalo: Prometheus.
  • Rothman, M.A. (1988). A physicist's guide to skepticism. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.
  • Stenger, V.J. (1990). Physics and psychics. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.
  • Stein, G. (Ed.). (1996). The encyclopedia of the paranormal. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.
  • White, A.D. (1895/1955). A history of the warfare of science with theology in Christendom. New York: Braziller.
  • Wolman, B.B. (Ed.) (19767). Handbook of parapsychology. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
  • Zusne, L. & Jones, W.H. (1982). Anomalistic psychology. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

IMPORTANT PERIODICALS

The Skeptical Inquirer

Journal of Parapsychology

Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research

Journal of the Society for Scientific Exploration

 

If you have material to contribute, please contact us via e-mail

 

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