Society for Psychical Research

{{Paranormal}}
'''Society for Psychical Research''' (SPR) is a non-profit organisation in the [[United Kingdom]] which investigates events and abilities commonly described as [[psychic]] or [[paranormal]].

==Origins==
According to the Society for Psychical Research:

{{cquote|The SPR was the first organisation established to examine allegedly paranormal phenomena using scientific principles. Our aim is to learn more about events and abilities commonly described as "psychic" or "paranormal" by supporting research, sharing information and encouraging debate. Our members come from all over the world, and represent a variety of academic and professional interests. We welcome active researchers as well as people who simply want to know more about the subject.<ref>[http://www.spr.ac.uk/main/page/about-society-psychical-research About The Society for Psychical Research]</ref>}}

The SPR was founded in 1882 in [[London]] by a group of thinkers including Edmund Gurney, [[Frederic William Henry Myers]], William Fletcher Barrett, Henry Sidgwick and Edmund Dawson Rogers. Some of the things the SPR has investigated include [[telepathy]], mesmerism, [[mediumship]], apparitions, [[ghosts]] and haunted houses, poltergeists and phenomena associated with [[séance]]s.

Critical SPR investigations into mediumship and the exposure of fake mediums led to a number of resignations in the 1880s by some [[spiritualist]] members.

==Modern membership==
The SPR claims not to hold any corporate opinions on the [[paranormal]] as its members have a variety of beliefs or lack thereof about the reality and nature of the phenomena studied; however by reading over the publications of the SPR you can see that most of the members believe in the existence of the paranormal.

The SPR has had a number of skeptical members but this seems to have declined in recent years. An early member, Frank Podmore (1856-1910), had debunked many mediums as using trickery and fraud and wrote some notable books on the subject. A later member, Guy William Lambert (1889-1984), was skeptical about haunted houses and [[poltergeist]]s and proposed a geophysical explanation for haunted and poltergeist activity based on the activity of underground water and other weather factors. He theorised that underground water could cause structural movement of the property, possibly causing the house to vibrate and move objects.<ref>Lambert, G. W. (1955). "Poltergeists: A Psychical Theory". Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 38.</ref>

Apart from a few skeptical members, many members of the SPR seem to be very gullible and fall into the trap of [[magical thinking]] about some of the phenomena investigated, rejecting natural explanations for paranormal ones. Since its very beginning members such as Frederic Myers (1843-1901) have believed [[mediumship]] is genuine; this has continued with recent members including [[David Fontana]] and others. The SPR website itself seems to conclude that there is evidence that the deceased SPR founders actually returned from the grave to communicate with mediums.<ref>[http://www.spr.ac.uk/main/page/history-society-psychical-research-parapsychology History of The Society for Psychical Research]</ref> Most members of the SPR also believe things like [[psychokinesis]] are real and that [[extrasensory perception]] has been proven. Some members of the SPR believe that spiritualistic phenomena which were once attributed to [[spirit]]s can now be explained by psychokinesis.<ref>Renee Haynes (1982) ''The Society for Psychical Research 1882-1982: A History''. London: MacDonald & Co. p. 168</ref> This view is not accepted by the scientific community.

One member, Samuel Soal (1889–1975), has been accused of fraudulent production of data regarding experiments in extrasensory perception.

===Tom Ruffles===
Tom Ruffles joined the SPR in 1987 and is its Communications Officer,<ref>[http://www.spr.ac.uk/main/page/trustees-and-officers-psychical-research Trustees and Officers for the SPR]</ref> after being involved in the Anglia Paranormal Research Group and contributing to the [[Forteanism#'Fortean'|Fortean Times]]. A firm believer in [[ghost]]s and the paranormal, Ruffles is the author of the book ''Ghost Images: Cinema of the Afterlife''.

==Some of the members==
<gallery>
File:Arthur Balfour, photo portrait facing left.jpg|Arthur Balfour, president (1893, 1906-1907)
File:William f barrett.jpg|William F. Barrett, president (1904)
File:Camille Flammarion.003.jpg|Camille Flammarion, president (1923)
File:Sir William Crookes 1906.jpg|William Crookes, president (1896-1899)
File:Conan_doyle.jpg|[[Arthur Conan Doyle]]
File:James H Hyslop 2.jpg|James H. Hyslop
File:Wm james.jpg|William James, president (1894-1895)
File:Andrew Lang portrait. Folk-Lore, vol. 23.png|Andrew Lang, president (1911)
File:Lodge Oliver Joseph bw.jpg|Oliver Lodge, president (1901-1903, 1932)
File:Frank Podmore.jpg|Frank Podmore
File:Frederick William Henry Myers.002.gif|Frederick William Henry Myers, president (1900)
File:Charles Robert Richet nobel.jpg|Charles Robert Richet, president (1905)
File:Portrait of Henry Sidgwick.jpg|Henry Sidgwick, president (1882-1884, 1888-1892
File:John William Strutt.jpg|John William Strutt, president (1919), [[Nobel]] in physics, [[Nobel disease]]
</gallery>

==External links==
*[http://www.spr.ac.uk/main/ Society for Psychical Research]
*[http://tomruffles.blogspot.co.uk/ Tom Ruffles' blog]

==Further reading==
*Grattan-Guinness, Ivor (1982). ''Psychical Research: A Guide to Its History, Principles & Practices - in celebration of 100 years of the Society for Psychical Research''. Aquarian Press
*Gauld, A. (1968) ''The Founders of Psychical Research''. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*Haynes, Renée (1982) ''The Society for Psychical Research 1882-1982: A History''. London: MacDonald & Co.
*Salter, W.H. (1948) ''The Society for Psychical Research: An Outline of its History''. SPR Booklet.

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Paranormal]]
[[Category:Parapsychology]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoting organizations]]

Categories: Paranormal, Parapsychology, Pseudoscience promoting organizations