Abstract

The contemporary view of metaphor as proposed by G. Lakoff and M. Johnson (1980) attempts to provide a more useful and accurate account of human experience than the objectivist explanations. In contrast to these, it emphasizes the importance of metaphor, imagination, and embodiment in our interactions with reality. This paper focuses on the metaphorical constructions employed in categorizing the phenomena investigated in parapsychology and psychical research. It is proposed that 3 main metaphors have been used: intrusions, transmissions/forces, and connections. These metaphors reflect the ways in which researchers, interested parties, experients, and laypersons have sought to structure their experiences and beliefs; as such, they provide valuable information about the way in which these parties understand psi. In addition, a brief examination is also made of the relevance of metaphors to quantitative and qualitative research, and their use in the rhetorical communicatio!n of psi concepts.