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In ufology, the psychocultural hypothesis, colloquially abbreviated PSH, argues that at least some UFO reports are best explained by psychological or social means. It is often contrasted with the better known extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH), and is particularly popular among UFO researchers in the United Kingdom, such as Dr. David Clarke, the editors of Magonia magazine, and many of the contributors to Fortean Times magazine. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... Ufology is the study of unidentified flying object (UFO) reports, sightings, alleged physical evidence, and other related phenomena. ... An unidentified flying object, or UFO, is any real or apparent flying object which cannot be identified by the observer and which remains unidentified after investigation. ... Psychology is an academic or applied discipline involving the scientific study of mental processes such as perception, cognition, emotion, personality, behavior, and interpersonal relationships. ... Anthropology (from the Greek word άνθρωπος = human) consists of the study of humankind (see genus Homo). ... A photograph taken in Passoria, New Jersey, on July 31 1952 The Extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) is the hypothesis that UFOs are best explained as being creatures from other planets occupying physical spacecraft visiting Earth. ... Dr. David Clarke is a British university lecturer. ... Magonia is a magazine ostensibly focused on the UFO phenomena but explores related areas of belief and unusual behaviour. ... Fortean Times is a British monthly magazine devoted to the anomalous phenomena popularised by Charles Fort. ...

The psychocultural hypothesis is occasionally confused with aggressive anti-ETH debunking, but there is an important difference in that the PCH researcher sees UFOs as an interesting subject that is worthy of serious study, even if it is approached in a skeptical (i.e. non-credulous) way.^[1] Debunkers are skeptics who attempt to disprove and pursues what they consider to be false, unscientific, bizarre or abnormal claims. ... For the Finnish funeral doom metal band, see Skepticism (band). ...

The psychocultural hypothesis is not a single, all-encompassing explanation of the UFO phenomenon, but explains different cases in different ways, all centering in some way on human behavior. Examples of PCH explanations are wishful thinking, hallucinations, hoaxes and misidentification of mundane objects. Because of its emphasis on human behavior, it attempts to explain why such a phenomenon is interpreted the way it has been, sometimes through pre-existing motifs and memetic selection. A hallucination is a false sensory perception in the absence of an external stimulus, as distinct from an illusion, which is a misperception of an external stimulus. ... A hoax is an attempt to trick an audience into believing that something false is real. ... Memetics is an approach to evolutionary models of information transfer based on the concept of the meme. ...

One of the arguments in favor of the psychocultural hypothesis compared with less mainstream interpretations (e.g. interdimensional "tricksters" or extraterrestrial visitors) is that the latter lie outside the body of knowledge currently accepted by science whereas the PCH does not (cf. Occam's razor). This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... A photograph taken in Passoria, New Jersey, on July 31 1952 The Extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) is the hypothesis that UFOs are best explained as being creatures from other planets occupying physical spacecraft visiting Earth. ... William of Ockham Occams razor (also spelled Ockhams razor) is a principle attributed to the 14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar William of Ockham. ...

A different form of "psychocultural hypothesis" has been used by some ETH proponents in the dispute over alleged misconduct by mainstream society towards witnesses in several UFO cases, arguing that skepticism directed against such witnesses is itself a psychocultural trend conditioned by the authorities.

Reference

1. ^ "Ritual Debunker Abuse", the Hierophant, Fortean Times issue 216 (November 2006), page 13.

External Links

UFO's: The psychocultural Hypothesis - By Steven Novella The New England Skeptical Society (NESS) is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to promoting science and reason. ...