---
title: "Anomalistic psychology"
chunk: 3/3
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anomalistic_psychology"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:43:15.577192+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

The difference between anomalistic psychology and parapsychology is in terms of the aims of what each discipline is about. Parapsychologists typically are actually searching for evidence to prove the reality of paranormal forces, to prove they really do exist. So the starting assumption is that paranormal things do happen, whereas anomalistic psychologists tend to start from the position that paranormal forces probably don't exist and that therefore we should be looking for other kinds of explanations, in particular the psychological explanations for those experiences that people typically label as paranormal.
Anomalistic psychology has been reported to be on the rise. It is now offered as an option on many psychology degree programmes and is also an option on the A2 psychology syllabus in the UK.

== See also ==
Australian Sheep-Goat Scale
Psychology of paranormal belief

== References ==

== Further reading ==
Gustav Jahoda. (1974). The Psychology of Superstition. Jason Aronson, Inc. Publisher. ISBN 978-0876681855
David Marks. (2000). The Psychology of the Psychic. Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-1573927987
Andrew Neher. (2011). Paranormal and Transcendental Experience: A Psychological Examination. Dover Publications. ISBN 978-0486261676
John Schumaker. (1990). Wings of Illusion: The Origin, Nature and Future of Paranormal Belief. Prometheus Books. ISBN 978-0879756246
Etzel Cardeña, Steven Jay Lynn, Stanley Krippner. (2000). Varieties of Anomalous Experience. American Psychological Association. ISBN 978-1557986252

== External links ==

What is Anomalistic Psychology?
Prof Chris French explains anomalistic psychology on Pulse Project Expert Explanations.