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Adrian Parker
Professor Emeritus
Department of PsychologyAbout Adrian Parker
Biography
- Professor in Psychology (with research areas as psychical research and altered states) University of Gothenburg: 2007 - Visiting research scientist, Kings College, University of London.
- State license in Clinical Psychology and in Psychotherapy
- Specialist Competence in Clinical Psychology (Swedish Psychological Society).
- M.A. Honours in Psychology, University of Edinburgh
- Professional Qualification in Clinical Psychology, Tavistock Clinic, London:1974
- Perrott-Warrick Studentship in Psychical Research, University of Cambridge:1972-76
- Ph. D in Psychology, University of Edinburgh: 1977
- Coordinating Clinical Psychologist, Child Psychiatry Clinic, Gothenburg, 1983
- Docent in Psychology, University of Gothenburg: 1992
Teaching
Course leader for:
- International Course on Consciousness Studies and Psychical Research
- Basic Course in Psychology: Biological and Cognitive Psychology
Supervision of students at Master and Doctoral Levels
Research interests
My professorship is one of the few in the world that has been officially approved by a major university to be deal paranormal experiences and altered states of consciousness.
I have a broad interest in the various aspects of consciousness research such as dissociated states, cognitive errors, witness psychology, psychotic-like experiences, hypnosis, dream states, subliminal perception - as well as psychic experiences and claims. My research spans many fascinating areas of consciousness studies including of psychical research and I was the first in Great Britain to gain a Ph.D on this topic.
Current research
The research approved for my professorship means it is one of the few in the world promoting the scientific study of paranormal experiences and altered states of consciousness.
I have a broad interest in the various aspects of consciousness research such as hypnosis, dissociated states, psychotic-like experiences, and dream states as well as psychic experiences.
My doctoral work at Edinburgh University lead to me being one of the joint originators of what is now the standard methodology (called the ganzfeld technique,) for reproducing a type of altered state and experiences neutrally called psi (rather than psychic) in the laboratory. This enables us to study psi under controlled conditions At Gothenburg with the support of the Bank of Sweden’s Tercentenary Foundation, we have further improved the methodology making it digital and incorporating further safeguards against fraud and error. Our approach to this area is that of open-minded scepticism. To maintain this position is important in the contemporary period when polarised norms of naive scepticism and over-belief mean there is a lack of scientifically founded debate on these topics. Our work is quoted in a major textbook of psychology (Passer and Smith, 2012).
We have a current research project with the Department of Twin Research at Kings College, University of London. This concerns exceptional and attachment experiences amongst twins. Another project, supported by the BIAL foundation for brain research, concerns lucid dreams.
The work on altered states and paranormal experiences has it roots in the writings and work of William James who arguably the foremost psychologist in recent history. In Sweden, Martin Johnson, who was professor in parapsychology, has also served as a source of inspiration. However the most well known Swede in this area is of course Ingmar Bergman who documented his own experiences in these areas. Some of the conditions he describes for their occurrence are incorporated in the laboratory in what we call the ganzfeld technique.
Selected publications
Parker, A. (1999) Imaginal experiences and perceptual defence. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 72, 447-8.
Parker, A. (2000) A review of the Ganzfeld work at Gothenburg University. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, 1-15.
Parker, A., Persson, A., & Haller, A. (2000) Using qualitative Ganzfeld research for theory development: top down processes in psi-mediation. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, 64, 65-81
Parker, A. (2001) What can psychology and parapsychology tell us about near-death experiences? Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, 225-240.
Parker, A. (2003a) Psi and altered states. Chapter 10 in Parapsychology in the 21st Century Edit.s Lance Storm and Michael Thalbourne. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.
Parker, A. (2003b) We ask does psi exist? But is this the right question and do we really want an answer anyway. Chapter 7 in Psi Wars. Edit.s J. Alcock, J. Burns., & A. Freeman. Exeter, UK: Imprint Academic. Special issue of the Journal of Consciousness Studies.
Parker, A. & Brusewitz, G. (2003) A compendium of evidence for psi. European Journal of prapsychology, 18, 33-52.
Paulsson, T. & Parker, A. (2006) The Effects of a two week reflection-Intention training program on lucid dream Recall. Dreaming: the Journal of the Association for the Study of Dreams. 16 (1), 22-35.
Parker, A. (2010) Mysterious minds: The Neurobiology of psychics, mediums, and other extraordinary people- Ed.s S. Krippner & H. L. Friedman Sana Barbara: Praeger.
Jensen, C. & Parker, A. (2012) Entangled In The Womb? – A Pilot Study on the Possible Physiological Connectedness Between Identical Twins with Different Embryonic Backgrounds. Accepted for publication in Explore (Elsevier journals).
Parker, A. & Jensen (2012) Further Possible Physiological Connectedness Between Identical Twins: The London Study, Accepted for publication in Explore (Elsevier journals).
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An experiment with three studies of physiological connectedness amongst twins and its possible relationship to
attachment
Goran Brusewitz, Adrian Parker
EXPLORE-THE JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND HEALING - 2024 -
Programme chair 's Introduction to the 42nd International Annual Conference of the Society for Psychical
Research
Adrian Parker
42nd International Annual Conference of the Society for Psychical Research - 2018 -
Research Projects that I Would Carry Out if I Receive the Millions
Needed
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of the 42nd International Conference of the Society for Psychical Research - 2018 -
Making Thought-forms Work: Magic Rabbits and Polar
Bears
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of the 41st International Conference of the Society for Psychical Research - 2017 -
Current Research on Lucid Dreaming and Shared Lucidity
States
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of the 41st International Conference of the Society for Psychical Research - 2017 -
Revealing the real madame d'esperance: An historical and psychological
investigation
Adrian Parker, Elisabeth Warwood
Journal of Scientific Exploration - 2016 -
Not in Your Life-time: The Ganzfeld
Revelations
Adrian Parker
Biennial European Conference of the Society for Scientific Exploration, October 13-15, Sigtuna, Sweden - 2016 -
Exploratory study of physiological connectedness among twins in relation to
attachment
Göran Brusewitz, Adrian Parker, David Luke, ANNEKATRIN PUHLE
35th Annual Conference of the Society for Scientic Exploration, June 19 - 24, Boulder, Colorado, USA - 2016 -
Lucid dreams of deceased
persons
Annekatrin Puhle, Adrian Parker
40th Society for Psychical Research International Conference, September 2-4, Leeds University, UK - 2016 -
Shakespeare's Ghosts
Live
Annekatrin Puhle, Adrian Parker
2016 -
THE JUNGLE OF HYPNOTIC PSI: PART 1. RESEARCH ON HYPNOSIS RELEVANT TO
PSI
Adrian Parker
Journal of parapsychology - 2015 -
THE JUNGLE OF HYPNOTIC PSI: PART 2. RESEARCH ON RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PSI AND
HYPNOSIS
Adrian Parker
Journal of parapsychology - 2015 -
Revealing psi secrets: Successful experimenters seem to succeed by using their own
psi
Adrian Parker
Journal of parapsychology - 2014 -
Revealing psi
secrets
Adrian Parker, Millar Brian
Journal of parapsychology - 2014 -
Is Parapsychology’s Secret, Best Kept a Secret? Responding to the Millar
Challenge.
Adrian Parker
Journal of nonlocality - 2013 -
Exceptional experiences amongst
twins
Göran Brusewitz, Lynn Cherkas, Juliette Harris, Adrian Parker
Journal of the Society for psychical research - 2013 -
On William
James
John Beloff, Adrian Parker
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research - 2013 -
The Gothenburg University-Kings College Twin Project: Findings and
prospects
Göran Brusewitz, Adrian Parker
Abstracts of presented papers; 56th Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association, Viterbo, Italy Abstracts of Presented Papers. - 2013 -
Betraying the future by distorting the present: A reply to Bauer et
al.
Adrian Parker
Journal of the Society for Psychical Rsearch - 2013 -
Further Possible Physiological Connectedness Between Identical Twins: The London
Study
Adrian Parker, C. Jensen
Explore-the Journal of Science and Healing - 2013 -
Exploring dream states: power naps, lucid
dreams
Adrian Parker
BIAL Foundation: Behind and Beyond the Brain - 2012 -
“The Nearer Your Destination, the More You Are Slip Slidin’
Away”
Adrian Parker
Journal of parapsychology - 2012 -
Psychical Research in Germany before 1939. An essay review of Heather Woffram’s The Stepchildren of
Science
Adrian Parker
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research - 2012 -
The Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Psychology of Conflict
resolution
Adrian Parker
Encyclopedia of Human Behavior - 2012 -
Entangled in the Womb? A Pilot Study on the Possible Physiological Connectedness Between Identical Twins with Different Embryonic
Backgrounds
C. G. Jensen, Adrian Parker
Explore-the Journal of Science and Healing - 2012 -
Debating Psychical Experience: Human potential or human
Illusion?
Adrian Parker
Journal of Parapsychology - 2011 -
A ganzfeld study using identical
twins
Adrian Parker
Journal of the Society for Psychical Research - 2010 -
Do some of us habituate to future emotional
events
Adrian Parker, Björn Sjöden
Journal of Parapsychology - 2010 -
The Mind-Body problem and the issue of
psychokinesis
Adrian Parker
Mysterious Minds. Neuorbiology of Psychics, Mediums, and Other Extraordinary People - 2010 -
Paranormal fenmen är långt ifrån tillräckligt
utforskade
Göran Brusewitz, Adrian Parker
Dagens Nyheter - 2009 -
Mind tricking or mind
reading?
Adrian Parker
Mensa International IBD Conference Gothenburg - 2009 -
Shared
dreams
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of 3rd International Conference of the Nordic and European Network for the Study of dreams. Gothenburg - 2009 -
Mind Reading… or Mind Tricking – do psychic phenomena really
exist?
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of International Mensa IBD Meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden - 2009 -
The Ingeborg Dahl Case
Revisted
Adrian Parker, Annekatrin Puhle
. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research - 2008 -
The subliminal priming of film clips used in the
ganzfeld.
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of the 51 st Annual Convention of The Parapsychological Association, Winchester - 2008 -
The Effects of a two week reflection-Intention training program on lucid dream
Recall
Adrian Parker, Timo Paulson
. Dreaming: the Journal of the Association for the Study of Dreams - 2006 -
Remarkable correspondences between ganzfeld mentation and target content: a psychical or psychological
effect?
Joakim Westerlund, Adrian Parker, Jan Dalkvist
Journal of Parapsychology - 2006 -
John Beloff: Personal
recollections
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of the 49th Annual Convention of The Parapsychological Association, Stockholm. - 2006 -
The Psi
ganzfeld
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of the BIAL Foundation Confernece Beyond the Brain - 2006 -
Psi ganzfeld: Where
next?
Adrian Parker
Proceedings of the 49th Annual Convention of The Parapsychological Association, Stockholm - 2006 -
Underhållande tv-ockultism eller bristande
etik?
Adrian Parker, Nils Wiklund
Psykologtidningen - 2004 -
Science in search of
spirit
Adrian Parker, Annekatrin Puhle
From Shaman to Scientist - 2004 -
REMARKABLE CORRESPONDENCES BETWEEN GANZFELD MENTATION AND TARGET CONTENT - PSI OR A COGNITIVE
ILLUSION?
Joakim Westerlund, Adrian Parker, Jan Dalkvist, Anneli Goulding
The Parapsychological Association 42nd Convention: Proceedings of presented papers - 2004 -
The First Digital Autoganzfeld Study Using a Real-Time Judging
Procedure
Anneli Goulding, Joakim Westerlund, Adrian Parker, Jiri Wackermann
European Journal of Parapsychology - 2004 -
Recording the Action As It Happens: The Digital Real-time
Ganzfeld
Adrian Parker, Joakim Westerlund, Anneli Goulding, Jiri Wackermann
25th International Conference of the Society for Psychical Research: Abstracts of presented papers - 2001 -
A New System for the Automated Digital
Ganzfeld
Anneli Goulding, Joakim Westerlund, Adrian Parker, Jiri Wackermann
The Parapsychological Association 44th Convention: Proceedings of presented papers - 2001 -
Book Review: An Introduction to
Parapsychology
Anneli Goulding, Adrian Parker
European Journal of Parapsychology - 2001 -
Finding Psi in the Paranormal: Psychometric Measures Used in Research on Paranormal Beliefs/Experiences and in Research on
Psi-Ability
Anneli Goulding, Adrian Parker
European Journal of Parapsychology - 2001