Abstract

Surveys have been one of the most valuable research instruments for studying the psychological and social dimensions of parapsychology. Surveys seem to show that there is a high prevalence of spontaneous experiences in the general population. The present report explores in a descriptive way the incidence of conflict produced by spontaneous psi experiences. Two-hundred and sixty Argentineans participated in our study, 58.8% women and 41.2% men (Mean age= 44.65; SD= 14.26). Most of the participants were interested in parapsychology and in psi phenomena. Using questionnaires we determined the type and frequency of their psi experiences, and if the experiences were conflictive or traumatic for them. We found that over a third of the sample had had a psi experience such as a precognitive dream or a telepathic perception. Two thirds said they had RSPK disturbances and more than half claimed healing abilities. Near death experiences and possession were considered to be conflictive or traumatic by over a third of the sample. A third of the respondents consulted family members, friends and acquaintances, while over a fourth of the sample consulted a physician. We believe that these experiences mark a process of personal growth and of a sense of connection with the world. The experiences may be a healthy response to a hostile and alienating environment or context. Further analyses of the introspective accounts may give us more information about the experiencer's emotional reactions to their psi experiences. In a future report we will present statistical analyses of the interaction between these variables.