Young People and Paranormal Experiences: Why are they Scared? A Cognitive Pattern

Abstract

Two qualitative projects have brought together non-directive and semi-directive interviews with 49 young people who had a paranormal experience (mainly spiritualism) between the ages of 11 and 18. A sequential analysis shows an emotional and cognitive pattern comprising four stages, accompanied by periods of anxiety. Young people move through those stages that correspond to a cognitive acceptance or rejection of what they are experiencing in order to maintain or reestablish paradigmatic stability. This study complements the many observations linking paranormal beliefs and anxiety, bringing with it the new discovery of a mechanism underlying the link between anxiety and some aspects of paranormal or anomalous experiences in young people.

Anomalous experiences and schizotypy: which comes first? The Hermit Crab syndrome hypothesis

“…This confirms what Garety et al (2001) identified as. Indeed, as stated before, one of the major options to eradicate cognitive dissonance resulting from some distressing, unexplainable experiences (such as some kind of PEs) is to review their way of looking at things, which we called paradigm change or enlargement and which seems to affect personality permanently (Epstein, 1991;Janoff-Bulman, 1989;Mathijsen, 2010;Rimé, 2009a). By reversing the model, PS continues to mediate between schizotypy and PE.…”

“…This paradigm enlargement presents a four-stage pattern labelled Hermit Crab syndrome (Mathijsen, 2010). The perception of a rationally aberrant or unexplainable phenomenon (e.g., books thrown from shelves or a glass that moves without being touched) may lead the individual to resort to the irrational, magical, or spiritual (Bentall, Baker, & Havers, 1991;Mathijsen, 2009Mathijsen, , 2012Streib, 2010;Tambiah, 1990) to make sense of what he/she has experienced or perceived.…”

“…The perception of a rationally aberrant or unexplainable phenomenon (e.g., books thrown from shelves or a glass that moves without being touched) may lead the individual to resort to the irrational, magical, or spiritual (Bentall, Baker, & Havers, 1991;Mathijsen, 2009Mathijsen, , 2012Streib, 2010;Tambiah, 1990) to make sense of what he/she has experienced or perceived. The aim is to reduce cognitive dissonance clashing with the individual's belief system (Baker & Morisson, 1998;Debbané, Van der Linden, Glaser, & Eliez, 2010;Izard, Ackerman, Schoff, & Fine, 2000;Morisson, Haddock & Tarrier, 1995;Vaidis & Halimi-Falkowicz, 2007), to regain a stable paradigm (Lange & Houran, 1999) and through this, escape emotional malaise (Hemsley, 1993;Mathijsen, 2010), as we know that cognitive organisation moderates whether paranormal experiences (PEs) are perceived as positive or not, which enables the individual to integrate them into his or her belief system (Schofield & Claridge, 2007). between schizotypy and cognitive disorganisation or a fundamental cognitive disturbance; and between this disorganisation and the perception of abnormal and unexplained events.…”

“…Eight types of PEs were derived from the items on the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale by Tobacyk (2004) and from items in experiences which young people aged between 16 and 25 (M = 21, SD = 2.6) themselves defined as paranormal during qualitative "life story" interviews (Mathijsen, 2010). A means of measuring eight types of experience has been established (5-point Likert scale with a Cronbach's alpha of .79) distinguishing practices and perceptions: "I personally practiced … (1) white magic, (2) black magic, (3) spiritualism or called spirits, (4) satanic or diabolic rituals, (5) consulting a healer or hypnotist or (6) a clairvoyant", and "I personally perceived … (7) unusual unexplained sounds and lights or (8) spirits (apparitions, ghosts)".…”

Psychose pour tous : la jeunesse au risque du« syndrome de psychose atténuée » ?

“…François Mathijsen (2010Mathijsen ( , 2011 a pour sa part montré que les adolescents intéressés par ces questions avaient un profil de personnalité anxieux associé à la recherche d'un meilleur contrôle sur leur environnement. Les croyances au paranormal, par exemple des croyances spirites, apparaissent alors comme un mode de coping spécifique afin de maintenir une stabilité interne.…”