What is parapsychology? Learn more about the 3 different types
Updated February 2025
Parapsychology is a field of study that focuses on paranormal phenomena known as extrasensory perception (ESP) using the sixth sense.
Think of paranormal experiences like telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and other extraordinary claims like those related to near-death experiences and apparitional experiences.
Parapsychology vs psychology
To understand parapsychology completely, it’s good to know the differences between psychological and parapsychological studies.
Psychology
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Psychology is the scientific study of human experiences and behaviors, focusing on areas like cognition, emotion, personality, perception, memory, and learning.
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Thanks to reliable methodologies and reproducible findings, psychology is widely recognized by academic and scientific communities.
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The work of psychological researchers directly impacts mental health treatments, education, market research, and forensic psychology.
Parapsychology
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Parapsychology studies psychic phenomena that exist beyond conventional sciences and normal explanations.
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Many critics of parapsychology consider the field of study to be pseudoscientific because there isn’t enough scientific evidence to prove the existence of ESP and psychokinesis (telekinesis).
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Parapsychology research often has the most influence on the entertainment industry, conspiracy theories, and an individual’s personal beliefs.
Understanding the differences between the two is crucial, especially when you need to know how and when to apply the principles of either field. This is never more apparent than when it comes to the mental health industry.
Psychology can prevent people from mistaking a psychological condition for a psychic ability like telepathic communication. Parapsychological phenomena can inspire feelings of comfort and creativity, but they can stop people from seeking potentially life-saving treatment and guidance.
What are the different types of parapsychology?
There are three main different types of parapsychology; let’s explore these in greater detail below.
1. Extrasensory perception (ESP)
Extrasensory perception, which you’ll probably know better as the sixth sense, is an area of study within the field of the psi phenomena (events that the laws of nature or science can’t explain).
Simply put, ESP refers to the ability to gain information without relying on the five known senses. If you’re a fan of fantasy or science fiction, then you’re likely already familiar with the following types of ESP.
Telepathic communication
A way of communicating thoughts and feelings from one person’s mind to another. There are different types of telepathies, including dream telepathy (telepathic communication through dreams) and animal telepathy (telepathic communication between humans and animals).
Telepathy-focused studies help us understand the full extent of our communicative abilities, whether through an altered state of consciousness or interspecies discourse.
Clairvoyance
The ability to see things that are hidden or know things that you wouldn’t be able to observe with the five known senses. You can divide clairvoyance into three categories: precognition (the ability to see future events), retrocognition (the ability to see past events), and remote viewing (the ability to see spatially or temporally distant events and objects).
Across all three types, the importance of clairvoyance is evident as it allows the practitioner to hone their intuition and decision-making skills. Because of this deeper understanding of the surrounding world, practitioners can then achieve a deeper sense of empathy.
Mediumship
The practice of communicating with the spirits of the deceased through an individual with psychic abilities which is known as a ‘medium.’
Studying mediumship can be incredibly important, especially for those who wish to determine if the human consciousness can thrive without the support of the physical body.
Astral projection
An intentional out-of-body experience whereby a person’s spirit leaves their physical body and travels to the astral/spiritual plane.
Astral projection is one of the most introspective paranormal beliefs, and that is why it’s an important parapsychological phenomenon. Through astral projection, practitioners can explore their spirituality, learn more about themselves, and achieve personal growth.
Psychometry
Psychometry is similar to clairvoyance in the sense that it is a means of gaining information. Instead of using an alleged sixth sense, however, practitioners of psychometry can acquire information about an object’s history just by touching it.
Exploring this phenomenon can reveal the extent of the connection between physical objects, human consciousness, and the hidden energies that surround them.
2. Mind-matter interaction (MMI)
The study of mind-matter interactions focuses on how the mind can directly influence different types of physical systems and objects. Telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition all count as mind-matter interactions, but two other abilities you may not have heard of are psychokinesis and telekinesis.
Psychokinesis refers to the ability to move objects, bend objects (e.g., spoon bending), or influence someone else to take a certain action using only mental concentration.
Similarly, telekinesis allows a person to move or manipulate objects, even if they are far away, by relying on their mental effort. You’ll find classic examples of these abilities across all sorts of media, from The Matrix (the classic spoon-bending scene, to Stranger Things (the powers of the main character, Eleven).
Knowing as much as we can about both abilities can reshape our understanding of the relationship between the mind and the physical world. A major discovery would also challenge everything we know about conventional science.
It’s also worth mentioning that anomalous healing is a mind-matter interaction that Western biomedicine would consider purely coincidental. Anomalous healing occurs when someone recovers from an injury or illness in a way that medical professionals cannot explain.
Believers of anomalous healing say that things like a lack of faith or self-destructive predispositions prevent a person’s recovery. They also say that, with things like energy healing and positive mindsets, you can catalyze your own self-healing.
The benefits of researching such a topic are clear - anomalous healing, if proven to be a real phenomenon, could do wonders for those who are suffering from severe illnesses and injuries. Put simply, it could revolutionize the world’s approach to medicine and therapy.
3. Survival after death
In parapsychology, survival after death relates to the possibility that human consciousness can survive the death of the physical body. This field of study focuses on everything from hauntings and apparitional experiences (an encounter with a non-physical entity like a ghost or poltergeist) to out-of-body/near-death experiences, reincarnation, and past lives.
Students of these subjects can delve deep into the relationship between the brain and consciousness and whether they are actually dependent on one another. With such investigations, you won’t just bridge the gap between religion and science, but you’ll also gain a life-changing perspective of death and the afterlife.
How do you become a parapsychologist?
The best way to become a parapsychologist is to get to know the field. Read journals, such as the Consciousness Studies, that cover parapsychological developments.
Join parapsychological organizations:
Parapsychology is not taken seriously by the scientific community. Therefore, colleges and universities rarely offer education in parapsychology.
The best path to becoming a parapsychologist is to enroll in psychology programs. You can do an online bachelor's or online master's course in psychology. Take care choosing where to study; some psychological researchers do have parapsychology educational opportunities in their classes.
The University of Virginia Division of Perceptual Studies and the University of Edinburgh's Koestler Parapsychology Unit all offer parapsychology research units.
Parapsychology is a particular career. A solid basis in psychology, an understanding of the field of natural phenomena, and an open mind will kickstart your career.
Are there any challenges to this field of study?
It’s no surprise that a controversial field of study, such as parapsychology, has faced its fair share of challenges. Let’s take a closer look at these challenges.
The biggest challenge that those studying parapsychology face is a lack of funding. With this insufficient financial support comes insufficient research and a limited number of full-time researchers.
From these challenges stems the second problem with parapsychology - misconceptions and closed-mindedness. Both conventional scientists and the public are said to consider parapsychology as the “trashcan for all phenomena that are not already neatly in some field of study.”
Beyond that, even if you were to become the leading authority on psychical research, it would be hard for others to discern you from the novices. For instance, just look at how the media throws the spotlight on amateurs who claim they are experts on ghost hunting.
What parapsychology courses are available for study?
By now, you’ll know if your heart is set on parapsychology or not. If so, you’ll need a course provider that can help you achieve your long-term goals. Enter Courses for Success, and in particular, the Parapsychology Online Certificate Course.
By studying this course, you’ll learn the ins and outs of everything from progression and prophecies to the Mayan calendar and monsters. Best of all, you have lifetime access to 20 hours of ‘well-organized and easy to follow’ content that will prepare you for your future studies of paranormal phenomena.
What’s more, if you feel drawn to a specific area of parapsychology, we’ve got you covered. Our Mediumship Online Certificate Course will empower you to understand and hone your clair senses. If you like what you learn, our Psychic Development Online Certificate Course will help you reinforce your psychic abilities, including telekinesis and precognition.
Summing up
Parapsychology can be a great way to explore the complexities of human consciousness. Studying such a field invites convention-challenging innovation and inspires a deeper appreciation for the capabilities of the human mind.
By fully committing to your studies, you could even reshape everything you thought you knew about the hidden forces within the world.
With Courses for Success, you’ll have the perfect guide as you navigate the world’s unexplainable phenomena. Unlock the secrets to the sixth sense and start studying our Parapsychology Online Certificate Course today.
FAQs
When was parapsychology invented?
Parapsychology established its roots in the late 19th century when the Society for Psychical Research was founded in February 1882.
What is an example of parapsychology?
Any anomalous experience (paranormal, superhuman, psychical, etc.) is an example of parapsychology. Think of paranormal activity like hauntings or the extraordinary like alien abductions.
What can you do with parapsychology experiments?
You can conduct experiments to investigate the existence of psychic powers like precognition, remote viewing, and telepathy.