Adrian Parker

Professor 

Kontaktuppgifter (KataGU)

Bakgrund
Undervisning
Forskning
Valda publikationer

Bakgrund

State Licensed in Clinical psychology and in Psychotherapy; Swedish Psychological Society Specialist Competence in Clinical Psychology. 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

Pre-clinical Medical Degree Courses, University of Gothenburg: 1988-1990

Docent in Psychology, University of Gothenburg: 1992

Professor in Psychology (with research areas as psychical research and altered states) University of Gothenburg: 2007

Undervisning

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

Forskning

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. As part of my doctoral work, I became one of the three joint originators of the now much acclaimed methodology of the ganzfeld psi research technique. Later in a co-operative project with Joakim Westerlund and Jan Dalkvist at Stockholm University, we developed what became known as “the real time digital ganzfeld”, for studying psi and unconscious processes. My approach to parapsychology is that of open-minded scepticism and in the current culture of over belief in such phenomena and pseudoskepticism, educating and informing the public about these is important.

I have led several projects and I was the first ever recipient of major funding from Riksbanken (Banks of Sweden Fund) for research in on this topic and which funded a doctoral student on the clinical aspects of paranormal experiences. My work is quoted in a major text book of psychology (Passer and Smith, 2008).

The work on paranormal experiences and altered states has it roots in the writings and work of William James who arguably the foremost psychologist in recent history. Moreover, it is has to said that, real or supposed, these experiences have occurred throughout recorded time in all cultures and deserve scientific scrutiny. In Sweden, Ingmar Bergman has served for me as a personal inspiration. He has documented his own experiences and some of the conditions he describes for their occurrence are incorporated in the laboratory in what we call the ganzfeld technique.

Valda publikationer

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.

Puhle, A. & Parker, A. (2003) Science in search of spirit. Chapter 7 in Shaman to Scientist: Humanity’s Search for Spirits. Edit.s James Houran and Rense Lange. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.

*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.