Abstract

Most parapsychologists espouse traditional scientific methods. Overall, this approach has helped establish the legitimacy of the field, while also yielding substantial statistical evidence favoring the existence of certain anomalies. Several considerations, however, suggest that the phenomena studied may not be fully amenable to traditional research models, the latter may need to be complemented with other approaches. In this context, tools for divergent thinking can be of great use: They help people resolve complex problems by encouraging creative exploration of many novel and unusual directions. Six Thinking Hats is a divergent -thinking method that induces particularly rich explorations of solution space. The individual examines the problem not only through the familiar analytical and critical forms of thinking but also through lateral thinking, cross-disciplinary perspectives and emotional intelligence. Six Hats can thus be of considerable use to parapsychologists. Given the multifaceted nature of psi phenomena and the complexities of the research, it is essential that the full spectrum of intelligence be used to progressively construct a rich, multidimensional map of our subject matter.