from Encyclopedia of Adolescence
Paranormal and supernatural beliefs generally refer to those that are outside of scientific explanation. Although there may be many beliefs that could fit into this category, the term often is used to pertain to phenomena like ghosts, unidentified flying objects, extraterrestrial beings, and cryptids (such as Big Foot and the Lock Ness Monster). Adolescents have been known to be fascinated by paranormal phenomena and to hold paranormal beliefs, as highlighted well by its prevalence in popular culture. Yet, research only has started to examine this aspect of adolescent development.
The prevalence of paranormal beliefs among adolescents has been well documented. For example, a study of over 13,000 13–15-year-olds demonstrated that over one third believed in their horoscopes and ghosts, and one in five believed in black magic (see Williams et al. 2007). Other large studies also have found similarly high levels of paranormal beliefs, such as a study reporting that, among 1,488 Swedish youth between the ages of 16 and 19, with 77% believed in premonitory signs and over 50% believed in such phenomena as UFOs and telepathy (Sjödin 2002). Similar results have been found in cross-cultural and cross-national studies (see Williams et al. 2007).
Although research has examined the wide prevalence of paranormal beliefs, research delving into its complexities tends to report contradictory and tentative findings. For example, some report that older adolescents believe more in supernatural phenomena, while others report the opposite (see, e.g., Preece and Baxter 2000). Several studies also have examined the relationship between paranormal beliefs and dimensions of personality; and that area of research has reported contradictory findings with the possible exceptions that belief in the paranormal are associate with neuroticism (viewed as emotionality that often is linked with anxiety and depression) (see Wiseman and Watt 2004; Williams et al. 2007). Contradictory results also have been reported in studies examining potential links between paranormal beliefs and psychopathological traits, but research increasingly supports the hypothesis that schizotypy relates closely to paranormal beliefs (see Hergovich et al. 2008). Research does appear, however, to consistently find important gender differences during the adolescent years, with females being reported as more likely to believe in paranormal beliefs than males, a finding that is consistent with research indicating that females are more likely to believe in the more religious and spiritual aspects of life (Preece and Baxter 2000; Williams et al. 2007). Although some findings gain increasing support, much of the research still remains tentative and studies continue to report important nuances based on samples studied and factors examined.
Whether paranormal phenomena truly exist remains controversial and debated passionately by both proponents and skeptics. This continues to be the case even though a large majority of the population continues to believe in some form of paranormal phenomena, such as extrasensory perception, haunted houses, astrology, clairvoyance, and telepathy. Research relating to paranormal beliefs has a long history, one marked by the view that paranormal beliefs sometimes represent a way of dealing with the uncertainty of life while, at other times, paranormal beliefs relate to psychopathology (see Williams and Irwin 1991). Paranormal beliefs may be part of familiar everyday life as well as the subject of considerable research, but much remains to be investigated in terms of how it relates to the adolescent period.
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