parapsychology: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2formal academic, specialist technical
Quick answer
What does “parapsychology” mean?
The study of psychic phenomena that are outside the scope of established physical science, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The study of psychic phenomena that are outside the scope of established physical science, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis.
An academic or research field that investigates phenomena suggesting the possibility of mental capacities transcending currently understood physical and biological mechanisms, often conducted in laboratory or clinical settings despite mainstream scientific skepticism.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. The field's institutional history (e.g., Society for Psychical Research in UK, Rhine's work at Duke in US) may influence regional academic discourse.
Connotations
Similar connotations of fringe science/controversy in both regions. In the UK, stronger historical association with spiritualist investigations and societies; in the US, with 20th-century laboratory experiments (e.g., Zener cards).
Frequency
Equally low-frequency, technical term in both varieties. Slightly more public awareness in US due to media/pop culture (e.g., 'psi research').
Grammar
How to Use “parapsychology” in a Sentence
N (field of study)Adj + N (experimental parapsychology)N + V (parapsychology investigates)V + N (to study parapsychology)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “parapsychology” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The team aims to parapsychologise the reported hauntings with rigorous measurement.
American English
- Critics argue you cannot parapsychologise a phenomenon that lacks a replicable core.
adverb
British English
- The phenomenon was interpreted parapsychologically by a few researchers.
American English
- They approached the claims parapsychologically, setting up controlled tests.
adjective
British English
- The parapsychological literature is vast but often overlooked.
- She attended a parapsychological symposium at the university.
American English
- The parapsychological evidence remains highly contested.
- He runs a parapsychological research foundation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Almost never used. Possibly in niche publishing (books on the paranormal).
Academic
Used in specialized departments, journals, and conferences. Often within psychology or anthropology as a controversial subfield.
Everyday
Very rare. Might appear in discussions about the supernatural, skepticism, or pseudoscience.
Technical
Used precisely to denote a specific research paradigm investigating anomalous cognition/phenomena, with methodological debates.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “parapsychology”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “parapsychology”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “parapsychology”
- Misspelling: 'parapsychology' (common error: 'parapsychology').
- Using it as a synonym for 'psychic' (e.g., 'He is a parapsychology' – incorrect; should be 'He is a parapsychologist' or 'He studies parapsychology').
- Confusing it with 'paranormal' (which is broader, includes ghosts, cryptids).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a field of study that employs scientific methods, but its subject matter and results are not accepted by the mainstream scientific community, which generally views it as a pseudoscience due to lack of replicable evidence and mechanistic explanations.
Psychology studies mental processes and behaviour within known physical and biological frameworks. Parapsychology studies alleged phenomena (like telepathy) that, if genuine, would require mechanisms outside those currently accepted frameworks.
Very few institutions offer dedicated degrees. Some universities, primarily in the UK and Europe, offer postgraduate courses or modules within departments of psychology or anthropology. It is not a common undergraduate major.
The core areas, often called 'psi phenomena', are telepathy (mind-to-mind communication), clairvoyance (perceiving remote events), precognition (perceiving future events), and psychokinesis (mind influencing matter).
The study of psychic phenomena that are outside the scope of established physical science, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis.
Parapsychology is usually formal academic, specialist technical in register.
Parapsychology: in British English it is pronounced /ˌpærəsaɪˈkɒlədʒi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌpɛrəsaɪˈkɑːlədʒi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “beyond the fringe of parapsychology”
- “the realm of parapsychology”
- “a parapsychology of the gaps”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
PARA (beside/near) + PSYCHOLOGY (study of the mind) = the study of phenomena *beside* or *beyond* regular psychology.
Conceptual Metaphor
SCIENCE IS A MAP; parapsychology explores uncharted/contested territories on the map of the mind.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary focus of parapsychology?