title: Contextual mediation of perceptions in hauntings and poltergeist-like experiences.
abstract: The content of perceived apparitions, e.g., bereavement hallucinations, cannot be explained entirely in terms of electromagnetically induced neurochemical processes. It was shown that contextual variables influential in hallucinatory and hypnotic states also structured reported haunting experiences. As predicted, high congruency was found between the experiential content and the nature of the contextual variables. Further, the number of contextual variables involved in an experience was related to the type of experience and the state or arousal preceding the experience. Based on these findings we argue that a more complete explanation of haunting experiences should take into account both electromagnetically induced neurochemical processes and factors related to contextual mediation.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Springfield 62794-9823, USA. lange@uis.edu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Houran
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Harte
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Havens
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal; D001601:Bereavement; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D007206:Individuality; D009042:Motivation; D010268:Parapsychology; D010465:Perception; D012931:Social Environment; D012945:Social Values