Fantasy Proneness and Other Psychological Correlates of UFO Experience

This study examined the psychological variables that underpin the reporting of UFO (unidentified flying objects) experiences of 198 subjects (155 controls, 19 UFO sightees, 12 UFO contactees, and 12 UFO abductees). Findings demonstrate that reporting of UFO experiences is related to heightened levels of fantasy proneness and paranormal belief and that the relationship between fantasy proneness and UFO experiences is mediated by paranormal belief. In relation to personality characteristics, it was found that UFO experiencers are higher on the “feeling” and “intuiting” dimensions of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). However contrary to our expectations, beliefs in “precognition” were not found to correlate with the “feeling” dimension of the MBTI. The findings provide impetus for future research with UFO experiencers. Reports of unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings and certainty that such objects are alien spacecraft have increased dramatically following Kenneth Arnold’s highly publicised sighting in Washington on June 24, 1947 (Bartholomew, Basterfield & Howard, 1991; Klass, 1999; Price, 1997; Spanos, Burgess & Burgess, 1994; Spanos, Cross, Dickson & DuBreuil, 1993). The first UFO reports focused solely on alleged sightings of the spacecrafts themselves; however, by the mid-1960’s, UFO abduction accounts began to appear (Spanos et al., 1994). In his review article, Appelle (1996) defines an abduction experience as being characterised by “subjectively real memories of being taken secretly and/or against one’s will by apparently nonhuman entities and subjected to complex physical and psychological procedures” (p. 29). The mass media has given extensive coverage to such accounts (McLeod, Corbisier & Mack, 1996; Zimmer, 1984). In addition, uncritical and sensationalistic documentary-type television shows (such as those screened to coincide with the anniversary of the Roswell incident) and movies that feature alien contact have become increasingly popular (Sheaffer, 1986), for example, The X-Files, Men in Black, Independence Day, Dark Skies and ET. However while popular culture moves forward in assimilating the possibility of intelligent alien life into mass public opinion, there is still a lack of scientific evidence as to its presence here on earth (Sheaffer, 1986; Spanos et al., 1993). According to Westerfelhaus and Combs (1998), the success of X-files is due to the tension it portrays between skeptical western science and faith in things that western science ignores. Because of the scientific community’s dismissal of the existence of intelligent alien life, UFO experiences have received scant serious scientific attention (McLeod et al., 1996). Regardless of whether these reports are independently verifiable, at least two percent of the population (Appelle, 1996) in the USA claim to have had a UFO experience and this fact alone makes them worthy of study. Bullard (1990, cited in Ring & Rosing, 1990) lamented that we still know too little of the psychological makeup of those who have undergone these “puzzling encounters”. Although, at this stage, abduction reports cannot be taken seriously as objective reality (although some researchers do this; see Jacobs, 1992; Mack, 1994), it is obvious that to the