Weird Science: An Introduction to Anomalistic Psychology
Speaker: Professor Chris French

Ever since records began, in every known society, a substantial proportion of the population has reported unusual experiences labelled as “paranormal”. Opinion polls show that the majority of the general public accepts that paranormal phenomena occur. Such widespread experience of and belief in the paranormal can only mean one of two things. Either the paranormal is real, in which case this should be accepted by the wider scientific community which currently rejects such claims; or else belief in and experience of ostensibly paranormal phenomena can be fully explained in terms of psychological factors. This presentation provides an introduction to the sub-discipline of anomalistic psychology, which may be defined as the study of extraordinary phenomena of behaviour and experience, in an attempt to provide non-paranormal explanations in terms of known psychological and physical factors. This approach will be illustrated with examples relating to a range of ostensibly paranormal phenomena.
Professor Chris French is the Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths, University of London. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, as well as being a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association and a member of the Scientific and Professional Advisory Board of the British False Memory Society. His main area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. He frequently appears on radio and television as well as writing for the Guardian and The Skeptic magazine. His most recent books are Why Statues Weep, co-edited with Wendy Grossman, Anomalistic Psychology, co-authored with Nicola Holt, Christine Simmonds-Moore, and David Luke, and Anomalistic Psychology: Exploring Paranormal Belief and Experience co-authored with Anna Stone. Follow him on Twitter: @chriscfrench

These events are free. Talk starts at 18:30. For more information please contact Chris Dack at chrisdack@blueyonder.co.uk or Madeleine Tremblett at m.tremblett@hotmail.co.uk