parapsychology

American  

[par-uh-sahy-kol-uh-jee] / ˌpær ə saɪˈkɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the branch of psychology that deals with the investigation of purportedly psychic phenomena, as clairvoyance, extrasensory perception, telepathy, and the like.

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parapsychology British  

/ ˌpærəsaɪkəˈlɒʒɪkəl, ˌpærəsaɪˈkɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the study of mental phenomena, such as telepathy, which are beyond the scope of normal physical explanation

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parapsychology Cultural  

1. The study of extrasensory perception (ESP), communications with the dead, telekinesis (using mental energy to cause distant objects to move), and other mental phenomena that have not been explained or accepted by scientists. (See psychic research.)

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Other Word Forms

• parapsychologist
  noun
• parapsychological
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of parapsychology

First recorded in 1925–30; para- ¹ + psychology

Example Sentences

There were many pop-psychology theories: Was it the harsh family background with a father who deserted him, refusing to even pay school fees, and his strict, remote and pious Roman Catholic mother?

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 6, 2019

The last thing we need is yet another "emotions" based pop-psychology TV show.

From New York Times • Oct. 9, 2017

There’s a whole field of study devoted to measuring its powers, and a whole shelf of pop-psychology books focused on the gee-whiz aspects of the field.

From Washington Post • Aug. 3, 2016

She starts doing her pop-psychology bit, which worked well with a screwed-up, torn guy like Brody.

From Slate • Dec. 10, 2012

I could offer up pop-psychology tips for smoothing the transition from beach to workstation – but most of them are crap.

From The Guardian • Aug. 31, 2010