GaryJJSpate (talk | contribs) Created page with "{{OrganisationInfobox |name=Duke University |type=Private research university |founded=1924 (as Duke University; roots trace to Trinity College, founded 1838) |founders=James Buchanan Duke (benefactor) |known_for=Hosting the original Parapsychology Laboratory under J. B. Rhine and William McDougall |status=Active }} '''Duke University''' is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina, best known on The Vault as the original home of the Parapsychology Laborat..." |
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'''Duke University''' is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. It is documented here as the original home of the Parapsychology Laboratory, one of the most significant institutions in the history of [[Parapsychology]]. | |||
'''Duke University''' is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina | |||
== Founding == | == Founding == | ||
Duke University traces its origins to Trinity College, founded in 1838, and took its present name in 1924 following a major benefaction from tobacco and electric power industrialist James Buchanan Duke. | Duke University traces its origins to Trinity College, founded in 1838, and took its present name in 1924 following a major benefaction from tobacco and electric power industrialist James Buchanan Duke.<ref name="ncpedia">{{cite web |title=McDougall, William |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mcdougall-william |publisher=NCpedia}}</ref> | ||
== The founding of the Parapsychology Laboratory == | == The founding of the Parapsychology Laboratory == | ||
In January 1927, psychologist William McDougall, previously chair of psychology at Harvard, resigned that position to become Duke's inaugural Professor and Chair of Psychology, tasked with building the university's newly established psychology department from the ground up. McDougall had a long-standing personal interest in psychical research, having previously served as president of both the [[Society for Psychical Research]] (1920–21) and the [[American Society for Psychical Research]] (1921), and he set out from the start to integrate parapsychological inquiry into the department's academic agenda, despite prevailing scientific scepticism toward the subject. | In January 1927, psychologist William McDougall, previously chair of psychology at Harvard, resigned that position to become Duke's inaugural Professor and Chair of Psychology, tasked with building the university's newly established psychology department from the ground up.<ref name="ncpedia"/> McDougall had a long-standing personal interest in psychical research, having previously served as president of both the [[Society for Psychical Research]] (1920–21) and the [[American Society for Psychical Research]] (1921), and he set out from the start to integrate parapsychological inquiry into the department's academic agenda, despite prevailing scientific scepticism toward the subject.<ref name="historywiki">{{cite web |title=William McDougall |url=https://historywiki.therai.org.uk/index.php?title=William_McDougall |publisher=RAI History Wiki}}</ref> | ||
In 1928, McDougall recruited botanist [[J. B. Rhine]] to the department, initially to assist with unrelated experiments on inheritance in animals. With McDougall's encouragement and departmental support, Rhine's research soon shifted decisively toward psychical research, and by around 1930 the two had established what became the Parapsychology Laboratory. McDougall and Rhine went on to co-found the ''[[Journal of Parapsychology]]'' together in 1937, the year before McDougall's death. | In 1928, McDougall recruited botanist [[J. B. Rhine]] to the department, initially to assist with unrelated experiments on inheritance in animals.<ref name="ncpedia"/> With McDougall's encouragement and departmental support, Rhine's research soon shifted decisively toward psychical research, and by around 1930 the two had established what became the Parapsychology Laboratory, with the support of Duke's first president, William Preston Few.<ref name="boingboing">{{cite web |title=The Enduring Legacy of Parapsychologist J.B. Rhine |url=https://boingboing.net/2022/10/04/__trashed-29.html |publisher=Boing Boing |date=2022}}</ref> The programme was not formally named the Parapsychology Laboratory until 1935, having operated under other working names in its earliest years.<ref name="boingboing"/> McDougall and Rhine went on to co-found the ''[[Journal of Parapsychology]]'' together in 1937, the year before McDougall's death.<ref name="encyclopedia-mcdougall">{{cite web |title=William McDougall |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/history/canadian-history-biographies/william-mcdougall |publisher=Encyclopedia.com}}</ref> | ||
== Later history == | == Later history == | ||
The Parapsychology Laboratory continued operating at Duke under Rhine's direction until 1965, when Rhine reached the university's mandatory retirement age and left to establish an independent successor organisation, the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man, later renamed the [[Rhine Research Center]]. Duke University itself has had no formal affiliation with parapsychological research since that departure. | The Parapsychology Laboratory continued operating at Duke under Rhine's direction until 1965, when Rhine reached the university's mandatory retirement age and left to establish an independent successor organisation, the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man, later renamed the [[Rhine Research Center]].<ref name="duke-library">{{cite web |title=Parapsychology Laboratory Exhibit |url=https://library.duke.edu/exhibits/2020/parapsychology |publisher=Duke University Libraries}}</ref> Duke University itself has had no formal affiliation with parapsychological research since that departure. | ||
In 1957, in recognition of McDougall's role in founding the field at Duke, the Parapsychology Laboratory established the McDougall Award for Distinguished Work in Parapsychology. | In 1957, in recognition of McDougall's role in founding the field at Duke, the Parapsychology Laboratory established the McDougall Award for Distinguished Work in Parapsychology. | ||
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* [[Extra-Sensory Perception (book)|Extra-Sensory Perception]] | * [[Extra-Sensory Perception (book)|Extra-Sensory Perception]] | ||
* [[:Category:Parapsychology|Parapsychology]] | * [[:Category:Parapsychology|Parapsychology]] | ||
== References == | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
* [https:// | * [https://library.duke.edu/exhibits/2020/parapsychology Duke University Libraries — Parapsychology Laboratory Exhibit] | ||
* [https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mcdougall-william NCpedia — William McDougall] | |||
[[Category:Organisations]] | [[Category:Organisations]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:32, 3 August 2026
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. It is documented here as the original home of the Parapsychology Laboratory, one of the most significant institutions in the history of Parapsychology.
Founding
Duke University traces its origins to Trinity College, founded in 1838, and took its present name in 1924 following a major benefaction from tobacco and electric power industrialist James Buchanan Duke.[1]
The founding of the Parapsychology Laboratory
In January 1927, psychologist William McDougall, previously chair of psychology at Harvard, resigned that position to become Duke's inaugural Professor and Chair of Psychology, tasked with building the university's newly established psychology department from the ground up.[1] McDougall had a long-standing personal interest in psychical research, having previously served as president of both the Society for Psychical Research (1920–21) and the American Society for Psychical Research (1921), and he set out from the start to integrate parapsychological inquiry into the department's academic agenda, despite prevailing scientific scepticism toward the subject.[2]
In 1928, McDougall recruited botanist J. B. Rhine to the department, initially to assist with unrelated experiments on inheritance in animals.[1] With McDougall's encouragement and departmental support, Rhine's research soon shifted decisively toward psychical research, and by around 1930 the two had established what became the Parapsychology Laboratory, with the support of Duke's first president, William Preston Few.[3] The programme was not formally named the Parapsychology Laboratory until 1935, having operated under other working names in its earliest years.[3] McDougall and Rhine went on to co-found the Journal of Parapsychology together in 1937, the year before McDougall's death.[4]
Later history
The Parapsychology Laboratory continued operating at Duke under Rhine's direction until 1965, when Rhine reached the university's mandatory retirement age and left to establish an independent successor organisation, the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man, later renamed the Rhine Research Center.[5] Duke University itself has had no formal affiliation with parapsychological research since that departure.
In 1957, in recognition of McDougall's role in founding the field at Duke, the Parapsychology Laboratory established the McDougall Award for Distinguished Work in Parapsychology.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "McDougall, William."NCpedia.
- ↑ "William McDougall."RAI History Wiki.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Enduring Legacy of Parapsychologist J.B. Rhine."Boing Boing.2022.
- ↑ "William McDougall."Encyclopedia.com.
- ↑ "Parapsychology Laboratory Exhibit."Duke University Libraries.