Paranormal - Revision history

GaryJJSpate: Migrate PhenomenonInfobox to InfoboxPhenomenon

2026-08-05T13:38:41Z

Migrate PhenomenonInfobox to InfoboxPhenomenon

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	{{~~PhenomenonInfobox~~		{{InfoboxPhenomenon
	\|name=Paranormal		\|name=Paranormal
	\|type=Descriptive term		\|type=Descriptive term

GaryJJSpate: /* External links */

2026-07-29T00:22:33Z

External links

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	* [https://www.etymonline.com/word/paranormal Online Etymology Dictionary — "paranormal"]		* [https://www.etymonline.com/word/paranormal Online Etymology Dictionary — "paranormal"]

	[[~~index.php?title=~~Category:Paranormal]]		[[Category:Paranormal]]
	[[~~index.php?title=~~Category:Parapsychology]]		[[Category:Parapsychology]]

GaryJJSpate: /* Scientific and sceptical perspective */

2026-07-29T00:22:17Z

Scientific and sceptical perspective

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	== Scientific and sceptical perspective ==		== Scientific and sceptical perspective ==
	No phenomenon commonly described as paranormal has been demonstrated to a standard accepted by mainstream science. Proposed explanations for individual paranormal reports vary by category, and are addressed in more detail on the pages for specific phenomena; common general explanations across categories include misperception, confirmation bias, hoax, and — particularly for reported hauntings — psychological and physiological factors such as [[~~Sleep Paralysis\|~~sleep paralysis]] and [[Hallucination\|other hallucinatory experiences]].		No phenomenon commonly described as paranormal has been demonstrated to a standard accepted by mainstream science. Proposed explanations for individual paranormal reports vary by category, and are addressed in more detail on the pages for specific phenomena; common general explanations across categories include misperception, confirmation bias, hoax, and — particularly for reported hauntings — psychological and physiological factors such as [[sleep paralysis]] and [[Hallucination\|other hallucinatory experiences]].

	== See also ==		== See also ==
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	* [https://www.etymonline.com/word/paranormal Online Etymology Dictionary — "paranormal"]		* [https://www.etymonline.com/word/paranormal Online Etymology Dictionary — "paranormal"]

	[[Category:Paranormal]]		[[index.php?title=Category:Paranormal]]
	[[Category:Parapsychology]]		[[index.php?title=Category:Parapsychology]]

GaryJJSpate at 00:21, 29 July 2026

2026-07-29T00:21:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:21, 29 July 2026
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	{{~~CategoryInfobox~~		{{PhenomenonInfobox
	\|name=Paranormal		\|name=Paranormal
	\|~~scope~~=~~Umbrella category~~ for ~~ghosts~~, ~~UFOs/UAP, cryptids, and other anomalous or unexplained phenomena~~		\|type=Descriptive term
	\|~~parent~~=~~Paranormal~~		\|field=Parapsychology, popular usage
			\|also_known_as=Supernormal (historical predecessor term)
			\|notable_case=Society for Psychical Research (1882); J. B. Rhine's adoption of the term, c. 1937–38
			\|status=Term in current use; underlying phenomena not scientifically established
	}}		}}

	'''Paranormal''' is ~~an umbrella~~ term ~~for~~ phenomena, events, or experiences ~~that appear~~ to fall outside the current explanatory reach of ~~mainstream~~ science — including apparitions and hauntings, unidentified aerial phenomena, ~~cryptids~~, and a wide range of anomalous or unexplained occurrences ~~reported by witnesses~~. The ~~term~~ does not assert that such phenomena ~~are~~ supernatural, only that they have not ~~(yet)~~ been satisfactorily accounted for by conventional means.		'''Paranormal''' is a term describing phenomena, events, or experiences reported to fall outside the current explanatory reach of established science — including apparitions and hauntings, unidentified aerial phenomena, psychic ability, and a wide range of anomalous or unexplained occurrences. The word does not itself assert that such phenomena have a supernatural cause; it describes only that they have not been satisfactorily accounted for by conventional means.

	~~This page serves as~~ the ~~general entry point into paranormal subject matter on The Vault~~. ~~For specific reports~~, ~~cases, and regional archives, see the linked categories below~~.		== Etymology ==
			The word combines the Greek prefix ''para-'' ("beside" or "beyond") with ''normal'', from the Latin ''normalis'' ("conforming to a rule or standard"). It entered English in 1905 as a loanword from French, appearing in L. I. Finch's translation of psychical researcher Joseph Maxwell's work.

	== ~~Etymology and usage~~ ==		== History of the term ==
	~~The word ''~~paranormal~~'' combines the Greek prefix ''para-'' (~~"~~beside~~" or "~~beyond") with ''normal''~~, ~~and came into common usage~~ in ~~English during~~ the early~~-to-mid~~ 20th century ~~alongside the growth of organised psychical research~~. ~~It is distinct from, though often used alongside~~, ~~related terms such as ''supernatural'' (implying~~ a ~~cause beyond the laws of nature) and ''occult'' (historically tied to hidden or esoteric knowledge)~~. ~~On The Vault,~~ '~~'paranormal'' is used~~ as ~~the broadest working category, with more precise terms applied at the level of individual cases and articles~~.		For several decades after its introduction, "paranormal" competed directly with "supernormal" — a term coined in 1885 by Frederic Myers, co-founder of the [[Society for Psychical Research]], to describe psychical phenomena in a scientifically neutral register. The two terms were used largely interchangeably in the psychical research literature of the early 20th century. "Paranormal" gained clear dominance over "supernormal" around 1937–38, a shift that coincided with [[J. B. Rhine]]'s growing prominence and his own preference for scientifically framed terminology such as "[[Extrasensory Perception\|extra-sensory perception]]" over older psychical-research vocabulary.

	~~== Scope ==~~		Notably, several senses in which "paranormal" was used in earlier 20th-century literature were broader than its present usage, and are not fully captured by current dictionary definitions such as those in the Oxford English Dictionary — the term's scope has narrowed somewhat over time toward its now-familiar association with ghosts, psychic ability, and similar claims.
	~~The~~ paranormal, as ~~catalogued on The Vault~~, ~~spans several overlapping fields of reported phenomena:~~

	==~~= Ghosts and hauntings =~~==		== Distinction from related terms ==
	~~Reports of apparitions~~, ~~residual hauntings~~, poltergeist activity, and other phenomena associated with the presence of the dead or of a location's history. This is the most widely reported category of paranormal experience and forms the backbone of most investigative case files.		"Paranormal" is often used alongside, but is distinct from, several related terms:

	~~=== UFOs and UAP ===~~		* '''Supernatural''' implies a cause operating outside or above the laws of nature entirely — typically with religious or metaphysical connotations — whereas "paranormal" makes no claim about ultimate cause, only that a phenomenon is currently unexplained.
	~~Sightings~~ and ~~encounters involving unidentified flying objects~~ or, ~~in more recent terminology, unidentified aerial~~ phenomena ~~(UAP)~~. ~~Reports range from lights in~~ the ~~night sky to close-encounter and abduction narratives~~.		* '''Occult''' historically refers to hidden or esoteric knowledge and practice, often with a specific tradition or system behind it (such as ceremonial magic or divination), rather than to anomalous phenomena generally.
			* '''Parapsychology''' is the academic discipline that studies claimed paranormal phenomena using scientific method; the paranormal is its subject matter, not the field itself.

	==~~= Cryptids =~~==		== Scope of use ==
	~~Reports of animals~~ or ~~creatures whose existence is not recognised by mainstream zoology — including big cat sightings~~, ~~water monsters~~, and ~~humanoid or ape-like entities reported in rural and wooded areas~~.		In contemporary usage, "paranormal" functions as a broad umbrella covering several distinct traditions that do not necessarily share common origins or mechanisms: ghost and haunting reports, ufology, cryptozoology, and claimed psychic ability each developed largely independently, with their own separate histories, before coming to be gathered together informally under the single umbrella term.

	==~~= Other anomalous phenomena =~~==		== Scientific and sceptical perspective ==
	~~A broader catch-all covering unexplained lights~~ and ~~sounds~~, ~~time-slip experiences~~, ~~psychic~~ and ~~precognitive claims, curses,~~ and ~~folkloric phenomena that don't sit neatly within the categories above~~.		No phenomenon commonly described as paranormal has been demonstrated to a standard accepted by mainstream science. Proposed explanations for individual paranormal reports vary by category, and are addressed in more detail on the pages for specific phenomena; common general explanations across categories include misperception, confirmation bias, hoax, and — particularly for reported hauntings — psychological and physiological factors such as [[Sleep Paralysis\|sleep paralysis]] and [[Hallucination\|other hallucinatory experiences]].

	== ~~Belief and scepticism~~ ==		== See also ==
	~~Reports gathered on The Vault are recorded as witness testimony and investigative record, not as verified fact~~. ~~Entries may include natural, psychological, or hoax explanations alongside the original report where these are known or credibly proposed~~. ~~The Vault does not take an editorial position on whether~~ paranormal ~~phenomena are "real" — its purpose is to document encounters, enigmas, rumours~~, ~~ideas and experiences (E~~.E.R.~~I.E.) as reported, and to preserve them for ongoing study and comparison~~.		* [[Extrasensory Perception]]
			* [[Anomalistic Psychology]]
			* [[:Category:Parapsychology\|Parapsychology]]
			* [[:Category:Reported Phenomena\|Reported Phenomena]]

			== External links ==
			* [https://www.oed.com/dictionary/paranormal_adj Oxford English Dictionary — "paranormal, adj. & n."]
			* [https://www.etymonline.com/word/paranormal Online Etymology Dictionary — "paranormal"]

	[[Category:Paranormal]]		[[Category:Paranormal]]
			[[Category:Parapsychology]]

GaryJJSpate: /* Belief and scepticism */

2026-07-29T00:19:51Z

Belief and scepticism

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:19, 29 July 2026
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	Reports gathered on The Vault are recorded as witness testimony and investigative record, not as verified fact. Entries may include natural, psychological, or hoax explanations alongside the original report where these are known or credibly proposed. The Vault does not take an editorial position on whether paranormal phenomena are "real" — its purpose is to document encounters, enigmas, rumours, ideas and experiences (E.E.R.I.E.) as reported, and to preserve them for ongoing study and comparison.		Reports gathered on The Vault are recorded as witness testimony and investigative record, not as verified fact. Entries may include natural, psychological, or hoax explanations alongside the original report where these are known or credibly proposed. The Vault does not take an editorial position on whether paranormal phenomena are "real" — its purpose is to document encounters, enigmas, rumours, ideas and experiences (E.E.R.I.E.) as reported, and to preserve them for ongoing study and comparison.

	[[~~index.php?title=~~Category:Paranormal]]		[[Category:Paranormal]]

GaryJJSpate: /* Explore The Vault */

2026-07-29T00:19:39Z

Explore The Vault

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:19, 29 July 2026
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	Reports gathered on The Vault are recorded as witness testimony and investigative record, not as verified fact. Entries may include natural, psychological, or hoax explanations alongside the original report where these are known or credibly proposed. The Vault does not take an editorial position on whether paranormal phenomena are "real" — its purpose is to document encounters, enigmas, rumours, ideas and experiences (E.E.R.I.E.) as reported, and to preserve them for ongoing study and comparison.		Reports gathered on The Vault are recorded as witness testimony and investigative record, not as verified fact. Entries may include natural, psychological, or hoax explanations alongside the original report where these are known or credibly proposed. The Vault does not take an editorial position on whether paranormal phenomena are "real" — its purpose is to document encounters, enigmas, rumours, ideas and experiences (E.E.R.I.E.) as reported, and to preserve them for ongoing study and comparison.

	~~== The Vault and the EERIE Files ==~~		[[index.php?title=Category:Paranormal]]
	The Vault is the archive and knowledge base of [[The EERIE Files]], a community project for collecting paranormal encounters. Investigative casework feeding into the archive is contributed in part by the [[~~Society of Paranormal Studies]] (SPS), a Kent-based paranormal investigation team~~.

	~~== Explore The Vault =~~=
	* [[Ghosts and Hauntings]]
	* [[UFOs and UAP]]
	* [[Cryptids]]
	* [[Urban Legends and Folklore]]
	* [[Society of Paranormal Studies]]
	* [[Kent]]

	[[Category:Paranormal]]

GaryJJSpate at 23:11, 21 July 2026

2026-07-21T23:11:24Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:11, 21 July 2026
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	\|name=Paranormal		\|name=Paranormal
	\|scope=Umbrella category for ghosts, UFOs/UAP, cryptids, and other anomalous or unexplained phenomena		\|scope=Umbrella category for ghosts, UFOs/UAP, cryptids, and other anomalous or unexplained phenomena
	\|parent=~~All Files~~		\|parent=Paranormal
	}}		}}

GaryJJSpate: Created page with "{{CategoryInfobox |name=Paranormal |scope=Umbrella category for ghosts, UFOs/UAP, cryptids, and other anomalous or unexplained phenomena |parent=All Files }} '''Paranormal''' is an umbrella term for phenomena, events, or experiences that appear to fall outside the current explanatory reach of mainstream science — including apparitions and hauntings, unidentified aerial phenomena, cryptids, and a wide range of anomalous or unexplained occurrences reported by witnesses...."

2026-07-21T19:12:16Z

Created page with "{{CategoryInfobox |name=Paranormal |scope=Umbrella category for ghosts, UFOs/UAP, cryptids, and other anomalous or unexplained phenomena |parent=All Files }} '''Paranormal''' is an umbrella term for phenomena, events, or experiences that appear to fall outside the current explanatory reach of mainstream science — including apparitions and hauntings, unidentified aerial phenomena, cryptids, and a wide range of anomalous or unexplained occurrences reported by witnesses...."

New page

{{CategoryInfobox
|name=Paranormal
|scope=Umbrella category for ghosts, UFOs/UAP, cryptids, and other anomalous or unexplained phenomena
|parent=All Files
}}

'''Paranormal''' is an umbrella term for phenomena, events, or experiences that appear to fall outside the current explanatory reach of mainstream science — including apparitions and hauntings, unidentified aerial phenomena, cryptids, and a wide range of anomalous or unexplained occurrences reported by witnesses. The term does not assert that such phenomena are supernatural, only that they have not (yet) been satisfactorily accounted for by conventional means.

This page serves as the general entry point into paranormal subject matter on The Vault. For specific reports, cases, and regional archives, see the linked categories below.

== Etymology and usage ==
The word ''paranormal'' combines the Greek prefix ''para-'' ("beside" or "beyond") with ''normal'', and came into common usage in English during the early-to-mid 20th century alongside the growth of organised psychical research. It is distinct from, though often used alongside, related terms such as ''supernatural'' (implying a cause beyond the laws of nature) and ''occult'' (historically tied to hidden or esoteric knowledge). On The Vault, ''paranormal'' is used as the broadest working category, with more precise terms applied at the level of individual cases and articles.

== Scope ==
The paranormal, as catalogued on The Vault, spans several overlapping fields of reported phenomena:

=== Ghosts and hauntings ===
Reports of apparitions, residual hauntings, poltergeist activity, and other phenomena associated with the presence of the dead or of a location's history. This is the most widely reported category of paranormal experience and forms the backbone of most investigative case files.

=== UFOs and UAP ===
Sightings and encounters involving unidentified flying objects or, in more recent terminology, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). Reports range from lights in the night sky to close-encounter and abduction narratives.

=== Cryptids ===
Reports of animals or creatures whose existence is not recognised by mainstream zoology — including big cat sightings, water monsters, and humanoid or ape-like entities reported in rural and wooded areas.

=== Other anomalous phenomena ===
A broader catch-all covering unexplained lights and sounds, time-slip experiences, psychic and precognitive claims, curses, and folkloric phenomena that don't sit neatly within the categories above.

== Belief and scepticism ==
Reports gathered on The Vault are recorded as witness testimony and investigative record, not as verified fact. Entries may include natural, psychological, or hoax explanations alongside the original report where these are known or credibly proposed. The Vault does not take an editorial position on whether paranormal phenomena are "real" — its purpose is to document encounters, enigmas, rumours, ideas and experiences (E.E.R.I.E.) as reported, and to preserve them for ongoing study and comparison.

== The Vault and the EERIE Files ==
The Vault is the archive and knowledge base of [[The EERIE Files]], a community project for collecting paranormal encounters. Investigative casework feeding into the archive is contributed in part by the [[Society of Paranormal Studies]] (SPS), a Kent-based paranormal investigation team.

== Explore The Vault ==
* [[Ghosts and Hauntings]]
* [[UFOs and UAP]]
* [[Cryptids]]
* [[Urban Legends and Folklore]]
* [[Society of Paranormal Studies]]
* [[Kent]]

[[Category:Paranormal]]