GaryJJSpate (talk | contribs) Created page with "{{PersonInfobox |name=Chris French |born=1956 |occupation=Psychologist, professor emeritus |known_for=Founding the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit; Editor-in-Chief of The Skeptic (UK) |status=Living }} '''Christopher Charles French''' (born 1956) is a British psychologist and one of the leading figures in Anomalistic Psychology, focusing on the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. He is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Goldsmiths, Univ..." |
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{{ | {{InfoboxPerson | ||
|name=Chris French | |name=Chris French | ||
|born=1956 | |born=6 April 1956 | ||
|occupation=Psychologist, professor emeritus | |occupation=Psychologist, professor emeritus | ||
|known_for=Founding the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit; Editor-in-Chief of The Skeptic (UK) | |known_for=Founding the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit; Editor-in-Chief of The Skeptic (UK), 2001–2010 | ||
|status=Living | |status=Living | ||
}} | }} | ||
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'''Christopher Charles French''' (born 1956) is a British psychologist and one of the leading figures in [[Anomalistic Psychology]], focusing on the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. He is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he founded and led the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU).<ref name=" | '''Christopher Charles French''' (born 6 April 1956) is a British psychologist and one of the leading figures in [[Anomalistic Psychology]], focusing on the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences.<ref name="gold">{{cite web |title=Christopher French |url=https://www.gold.ac.uk/psychology/staff/french/ |website=Goldsmiths, University of London}}</ref> He is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he founded and led the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) until March 2024.<ref name="skeptic-author">{{cite web |title=Chris French |url=https://www.skeptic.org.uk/author/chris-french/ |website=The Skeptic}}</ref> | ||
== Career == | == Career == | ||
French | French began teaching an optional module in anomalistic psychology as part of Goldsmiths' BSc programme in 1995, and founded the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in 2000, in part to raise the academic profile and respectability of the subject within mainstream psychology — an aim he has said he believes the unit has been "pretty successful" in achieving.<ref name="allaboutpsych">{{cite web |title=Chris French Interview |url=https://www.all-about-psychology.com/chris-french.html |website=All About Psychology}}</ref> He also taught a course titled "Psychology, Parapsychology and Pseudoscience" at both Goldsmiths and Birkbeck College.<ref name="enacademic">{{cite web |title=Chris French |url=https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/1251356}}</ref> | ||
His research has spanned conspiracy theories, false memories, [[Sleep Paralysis]], the [[Ouija Board|ideomotor effect]], and cognitive biases underlying paranormal belief more broadly, alongside investigation of specific claims including [[Psychic Ability|psychic abilities]], reported ghosts, UFO abduction claims, and | His research has spanned conspiracy theories, false memories, [[Sleep Paralysis]], the [[Ouija Board|ideomotor effect]], and cognitive biases underlying paranormal belief more broadly, alongside investigation of specific claims including [[Psychic Ability|psychic abilities]], reported ghosts and poltergeists, UFO abduction claims, astrology, near-death and out-of-body experiences, and dowsing.<ref name="allaboutpsych"/> His work has received external grant funding from bodies including the ESRC, MRC, the Perrott-Warrick Committee, the [[Society for Psychical Research]], the British Academy, the Wellcome Trust, and the Bial Foundation.<ref name="gold"/> He has served as an external PhD examiner, including for [[Ciarán O'Keeffe]]'s 2005 doctorate at the University of Hertfordshire. | ||
== Public science communication == | == Public science communication == | ||
French is a prominent media commentator on paranormal and pseudoscientific claims, appearing regularly on radio and | French is a prominent media commentator on paranormal and pseudoscientific claims, appearing regularly on radio, television, and in the press, including as sceptical expert on ITV's ''Haunted Homes'', Channel 5's ''Britain's Psychic Challenge'', Sky Real Lives' ''Angels'', and Really's ''Unexplained: Caught on Camera'', and as script consultant on the BBC drama series ''Sea of Souls''.<ref name="substack">{{cite web |title=Why We Believe the Unbelievable: Professor Chris French on the Psychology of the Paranormal |url=https://allaboutpsychology.substack.com/p/why-we-believe-the-unbelievable-professor |website=All About Psychology (Substack)}}</ref> He writes for ''The Guardian'' and served as Editor-in-Chief of ''The Skeptic'' (UK) magazine from 2001 to 2010, co-editing a retrospective collection of its writing, ''Why Statues Weep: The Best of The Skeptic'' (2010), with Wendy M. Grossman.<ref name="profchrisfrench">{{cite web |title=About |url=http://profchrisfrench.com/about |website=Professor Chris French}}</ref><ref name="gold"/> He is the founder and organiser of Greenwich Skeptics in the Pub, ran the APRU's Invited Speaker Series at Goldsmiths from 2006 to 2018, and co-organised the 2015 European Skeptics Congress alongside groups including Sense About Science and the Centre for Inquiry UK.<ref name="profchrisfrench"/> | ||
== Publications == | == Publications == | ||
French has published over 150 academic articles and book chapters. His books include ''Anomalistic Psychology'' (2012), co-authored with Nicola Holt, Christine Simmonds-Moore, and David Luke, and ''Anomalistic Psychology: Exploring Paranormal Belief and Experience'' (2013), co-authored with Anna Stone — a standard academic textbook in the field.<ref name=" | French has published over 150 academic articles and book chapters.<ref name="gold"/> His books include ''Anomalistic Psychology'' (2012), co-authored with Nicola Holt, Christine Simmonds-Moore, and David Luke, and ''Anomalistic Psychology: Exploring Paranormal Belief and Experience'' (2013), co-authored with Anna Stone — a standard academic textbook in the field.<ref name="gold"/> His most recent book, ''The Science of Weird Shit: Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal'', was published by MIT Press in 2024.<ref name="skeptic-author"/> | ||
== Recognition == | == Recognition == | ||
French is a Chartered Psychologist and a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the Royal Society of Arts, and the [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]], and a patron of Humanists UK.<ref name="gold">{{ | French is a Chartered Psychologist and a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the Royal Society of Arts, and the [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]], and a patron of Humanists UK.<ref name="gold"/> | ||
{{VaultProfileBrief | |||
|category=Psychologist / Skeptical Advocate | |||
|relevance=Significant | |||
|connection=Founder of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit; long-serving Editor-in-Chief of The Skeptic (UK); external PhD examiner and mentor within the same academic network as Ciarán O'Keeffe | |||
|assessment=Chris French occupies a comparable role to Derren Brown or Ciarán O'Keeffe on The Vault, but from a purely academic rather than televised or performative angle — his research programme is dedicated specifically to explaining why ordinary cognitive and psychological processes produce experiences reported as paranormal, without dismissing the sincerity of those reporting them. His institutional role in founding and legitimising anomalistic psychology as a distinct academic sub-field makes him a central reference figure for the sceptical, evidence-based explanations documented throughout much of this archive. | |||
}} | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
{{DivCol}} | |||
* [[Anomalistic Psychology]] | * [[Anomalistic Psychology]] | ||
* [[Ciarán O'Keeffe]] | * [[Ciarán O'Keeffe]] | ||
* [[Skepticism]] | * [[Skepticism]] | ||
* [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]] | * [[Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]] | ||
{{DivCol end}} | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
| Line 34: | Line 43: | ||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
* [https://www.gold.ac.uk/psychology/staff/french/ Goldsmiths, University of London — Christopher French] | * [https://www.gold.ac.uk/psychology/staff/french/ Goldsmiths, University of London — Christopher French] | ||
* [https:// | * [http://profchrisfrench.com/about Professor Chris French — official site] | ||
* [https://www.skeptic.org.uk/author/chris-french/ The Skeptic — Chris French] | |||
[[Category: | [[Category:Skeptical Advocates]] | ||
[[Category:People]] | [[Category:People]] | ||
Latest revision as of 23:28, 4 August 2026
Christopher Charles French (born 6 April 1956) is a British psychologist and one of the leading figures in Anomalistic Psychology, focusing on the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences.[1] He is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he founded and led the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit (APRU) until March 2024.[2]
Career
French began teaching an optional module in anomalistic psychology as part of Goldsmiths' BSc programme in 1995, and founded the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in 2000, in part to raise the academic profile and respectability of the subject within mainstream psychology — an aim he has said he believes the unit has been "pretty successful" in achieving.[3] He also taught a course titled "Psychology, Parapsychology and Pseudoscience" at both Goldsmiths and Birkbeck College.[4]
His research has spanned conspiracy theories, false memories, Sleep Paralysis, the ideomotor effect, and cognitive biases underlying paranormal belief more broadly, alongside investigation of specific claims including psychic abilities, reported ghosts and poltergeists, UFO abduction claims, astrology, near-death and out-of-body experiences, and dowsing.[3] His work has received external grant funding from bodies including the ESRC, MRC, the Perrott-Warrick Committee, the Society for Psychical Research, the British Academy, the Wellcome Trust, and the Bial Foundation.[1] He has served as an external PhD examiner, including for Ciarán O'Keeffe's 2005 doctorate at the University of Hertfordshire.
Public science communication
French is a prominent media commentator on paranormal and pseudoscientific claims, appearing regularly on radio, television, and in the press, including as sceptical expert on ITV's Haunted Homes, Channel 5's Britain's Psychic Challenge, Sky Real Lives' Angels, and Really's Unexplained: Caught on Camera, and as script consultant on the BBC drama series Sea of Souls.[5] He writes for The Guardian and served as Editor-in-Chief of The Skeptic (UK) magazine from 2001 to 2010, co-editing a retrospective collection of its writing, Why Statues Weep: The Best of The Skeptic (2010), with Wendy M. Grossman.[6][1] He is the founder and organiser of Greenwich Skeptics in the Pub, ran the APRU's Invited Speaker Series at Goldsmiths from 2006 to 2018, and co-organised the 2015 European Skeptics Congress alongside groups including Sense About Science and the Centre for Inquiry UK.[6]
Publications
French has published over 150 academic articles and book chapters.[1] His books include Anomalistic Psychology (2012), co-authored with Nicola Holt, Christine Simmonds-Moore, and David Luke, and Anomalistic Psychology: Exploring Paranormal Belief and Experience (2013), co-authored with Anna Stone — a standard academic textbook in the field.[1] His most recent book, The Science of Weird Shit: Why Our Minds Conjure the Paranormal, was published by MIT Press in 2024.[2]
Recognition
French is a Chartered Psychologist and a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the Royal Society of Arts, and the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and a patron of Humanists UK.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Christopher French."Goldsmiths, University of London.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Chris French Interview."All About Psychology.
- ↑ "Chris French."
- ↑ "Why We Believe the Unbelievable: Professor Chris French on the Psychology of the Paranormal."All About Psychology (Substack).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "About."Professor Chris French.