Careers in Parapsychology/Psychical Research

 

Opportunities for making a full-time career in parapsychology are very rare, since there are presently many more qualified people wishing to work in the field than there are funds for their support. Opportunities do exist, however. We suggest the following link to the Consciousness Research Laboratory for current information on obtaining a degree or job in parapsychology: http://www.psiresearch.org/

We also offer two articles which give some valuable suggestions to those who are contemplating such a career.The articles are old but the information is still relevant. For electronic copies please access below:

Hints to Aspiring Parapsychologists, Gertrude R. Schmeidler, Ph.D.

Parapsychology as a Career, Rex G. Stanford, Ph.D.

In addition, John Palmer at The Rhine Research Center has witten an article titled Education in Parapsychology that speaks to students contemplating a career in parapsychology.  We offer the link here because we feel that the site is particularly informative and helpful.  However, we do not endorse Palmer's claim that, "Most parapsychologists....feel that the evidence from real-life (or spontaneous cases, as we officially call them) is not as good as evidence obtained in the laboratory."  On the contrary, we feel that evidence from spontaneous cases is better evidence as it is derived from what really happens in the world rather than contrived circumstances.

Carlos Alvarado  Ph.d., one of the researchers here at DOPS, also has  valuable information to offer regarding careers in parapsychology.

Nancy Zingrone Ph.d., is another of our researchers here at DOPS, who offers important information about basic literacy in the field of parapsychology.  In this article, she outlines the body of literature which serves as a solid foundation for those students and professionals who aspire to build a career in the field of parapsychology.   

University Based Research Units

DOPS is one of a little over a dozen University-based research units in the world investigating similar paranormal phenomena. Some of the other research centers are at Princeton University, the University of Arizona, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Amsterdam, and the University of Hertfordshire  in England. The researchers at the University of Virginia's unit have a special interest in studying the evidence for survival after death.

For more information about the psychical research being done at other research facilities throughout the world, please refer to the Society for Psychical Research links to Research Centers and World-Wide Research Associations .