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E-book
Author Lamont, Peter

Title Extraordinary beliefs : a historical approach to a psychological problem / Peter Lamont
Published Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2013

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Description 1 online resource (xi, 321 pages)
Contents 1. Introduction -- 2. The making of the extraordinary -- 3. The making of mesmeric phenomena -- 4. The making of spiritualist phenomenam -- 5. The making of psychic phenomena -- 6. The making of paranormal phenomena -- 7. The making of extraordinary beliefs
Summary "Since the early nineteenth century, mesmerists, mediums and psychics have exhibited extraordinary phenomena. These have been demonstrated, reported and disputed by every modern generation. We continue to wonder why people believe in such things, while others wonder why they are dismissed so easily. Extraordinary Beliefs takes a historical approach to an ongoing psychological problem: why do people believe in extraordinary phenomena? It considers the phenomena that have been associated with mesmerism, spiritualism, psychical research and parapsychology. By drawing upon conjuring theory, frame analysis and discourse analysis, it examines how such phenomena have been made convincing in demonstration and report, and then disputed endlessly. It argues that we cannot understand extraordinary beliefs unless we properly consider the events in which people believe, and what people believe about them. And it shows how, in constructing and maintaining particular beliefs about particular phenomena, we have been in the business of constructing ourselves"-- Provided by publisher
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes English
Print version record
Subject Parapsychology.
Parapsychology -- history
Psychology -- history
Hypnosis -- history
Parapsychology
PSYCHOLOGY -- Cognitive Psychology.
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT -- Mysticism.
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT -- Occultism.
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT -- Parapsychology -- General.
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT -- Reference.
BODY, MIND & SPIRIT -- Supernatural.
Parapsychology
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9781107314245
1107314240
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1107312043
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