Few people can claim the distinction of experiencing first-hand such occurrences as hauntings and the presence of poltergeists, but countless numbers of people are fascinated by these unexplainable events. Written by the world's most knowledgeable authorities in this field, the essays in this work promote a better understanding of the manifestations of and various reasons for hauntings and poltergeist phenomena. The experts come from such backgrounds as anthropology, history, philosophy, psychiatry, and sociology, and provide sober yet highly readable in-depth discussions of numerous ideas and rationalizations for hauntings and poltergeists, from a critical and scientific perspective. Divided into three major sections-sociocultural, physical and physiological, and psychological perspectives-this work provides an overview of each perspective and also addresses the general psychology of belief in the paranormal and how that belief relates to experiences of ghosts and poltergeists.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
Provides a multidisciplinary collection of articles...provocative...all collections supporting study in this area of psychology --Choice
Very important…essential and indispensable --Cuadernos de Parapsicologia
Should be on the shelves of anyone with a serious interest in the topic of ghosts and poltergeists, whether the reader is a skeptic, agnostic or believer...fascinating...editors Houran and Lange have done a good job in assembling the contributing authors into a coherent presentation of the field...a very valuable and extensive bibliography --Australian Journal of Parapsychology --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Very important…essential and indispensable --Cuadernos de Parapsicologia
Should be on the shelves of anyone with a serious interest in the topic of ghosts and poltergeists, whether the reader is a skeptic, agnostic or believer...fascinating...editors Houran and Lange have done a good job in assembling the contributing authors into a coherent presentation of the field...a very valuable and extensive bibliography --Australian Journal of Parapsychology --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
About the Author
James Houran is on the faculty of Southern Illinois University's Department of Psychiatry. Rense Lange is a statistician with the Illinois State Board of Education and an adjunct faculty member of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (Psychiatry Department).
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is the only one of its kind, from my experience. It is an actual textbook devoted to the examination of ghosts, haunts, and poltergeists from a myriad of academic perspectives like history, anthropology, media studies, comparative literature, sociology, psychology, physiology, and parapsychology. Each discipline has its own chapter, and the chapters are arranged into three sections: Sociocultural Perspectives, Physical and Physiological Perspectives, and Psychological Perspectives. Unlike most books on ghosts, this one cuts through the spin and sensationalism to bring the reader authoritative information on what academia knows about these phenomena. Also, the book's chapters are written by the top researchers in the field. This book will set the standard for a long time to come. It is highly recommended reading for serious students and anyone interested in the science behind what appears to be "seance fiction."
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By Mariessa
Format:Hardcover
This is a real science book (so it takes some brains to read), so it is not for everyone. But, I thought it was cool because the content was diverse, balanced, and not hyped. It is pricey, but it is priced like textbooks. The best source there is!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is great. Having worked in the paranormal field and seeing all the non-scientific books that are out there, this book is a must if you investigate or try to study paranormal occurences from a scientific or academic view. YOU NEED THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE A PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR.
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