2. Extraversion and Sensation Seeking Openness-to-experience and fantasy-proneness Neuroticism Locus of Control Schizotypy Intelligence and Critical Thinking Creativity Biological Underpinnings of Anomaly-Proneness

3. Extraversion is a complex variable relating to one’s sociability excitement and sensation seeking, impulsivity and level of outgoingness. Extraverts have low levels of cortical arousal (electrical activity in the cerebral cortex of the brain) and thus are driven to maintain an optimal level of arousal by seeking sensory (information) stimulation. Low levels of cortical arousal might allow weak stimuli, such as ESP or an abstract idea to enter awareness, causing moments of inspiration. (Eysenck, 1976) Meta-analysis of 60 studies found an overall positive correlation between extraversion and ESP performace. It may be that extroverts respond better to new stimuli that introverts and therefore are more open to paranormal experiences, which increases their belief. (Honorton).

4. Open individuals are curious about both inner and outer worlds, and their lives are experientially richer. They are willing to entertain novel ideas and unconventional values, and they experience both positive and negative emotions more keenly that do closed individuals. (Costa and McCrae, 1992, p.15) Openness-to-experience is a predictor of anomaly-proneness. (Eudell and Campell, 2007) Fantasy-proneness individuals have a more vivid imagination, including vivid daydreams, which could sometimes seem real, and be confused to think that imagined events really happened. (Wilson and Barber, 1983)

5. Neurotic subjects tended to score at chance or below on ESP tasks, where as well adjusted subjects tended to score above chance. (Palmer) Various studies found a positive correlation between neuroticism and paranormal beliefs. Paranormal beliefs may create a distance from reality as a defence mechanism against negative emotional stress. (Williams)

6. People with external locus of control are more likely to believe in the paranormal than those with internal locus of control. Relationships between belief and locus of control depend on the type of belief. (Tobacyk) There is a positive correlation between internal locus of control and belief. (Davies) However, results may be unreliable due to the way belief is measured.

7. Schizotypy refers to the tendency to experience milder sub- clinical forms of symptoms associated with schizophrenia, such as: Magical thinking Hallucinations Bizarre interpretation of events (magical thinking) Several factors contribute to this condition, such as poor psychological health and also a correlation in paranormal belief or anomalous experience.

8. Intelligence has been defined in many ways: The ability to think abstractly The skills to solve problems in daily life Capacity to acquire knowledge (Maltby, Macaskill and Day, 2010) Small studies reported an association between superstitiousness and low intelligence scores. However, Thalbourne and Nofi (1997) found that superstition is a different construct from belief in the paranormal (defined as belief in ESP, PK and life after death) and that only superstition was associated with low intelligence. Studies in intelligence do not predict belief in the paranormal.

9. Critical thinking measures a person's ability to evaluate information logically. The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal Scale (1964) measures a person’s ability to evaluate the validity of certain information. Alcock and Otis (1980) reported poorer performance on critical thinking among believers in the paranormal. This was not replicated in subsequent studies (Morgan and Morgan), although they did report significant correlations between the sub-factor of evaluating inferences and both superstition and belief in Spiritualism.

10. Creativity is the “sequences of thoughts and actions that lead to a novel, adaptive production.” Creativity has been consistently related to belief in the paranormal and research suggests a relationship between creative personality, artistic involvement and paranormal belief. (Thalbourne, 2005) Research suggests that only certain types of creativity are associated with anomaly-proneness as a trait, in particular, involvement in the arts. (Nettle, 2006) Artistic creativity has been associated with mystical experiences, lucid dreams and paranormal experiences. (Ayers, 1999)

11. Temporal Lobe Lability: It is a continuum of experiences from normal people to epileptics, caused by a continuum of electricial activity withing the temporal lobe structures of the brain, including the primary and secondary auditory cortex, the visual cortex, the limbic cortex and the amygdalae. (Kolb and Whishaw, 1996) These structures are involved in stimulus recognition, LTM, STM, emotion and movement control. Increased electrical activity or anomalies in the temporal lobe, are associated with paranormal and anomalous experiences. (Fenwick, 2001) Sometimes, normal people have sub-clinical ‘micro-seizures’ which go unnoticed by the individual and changes their state of consciousness. People more prone to these ‘micro-seizures’ are more prone to anomalous experiences and beliefs. (Persinger and Makarec, 1987)

12. Hemispheric Dominance: There may be a difference in hemispheric organisiation and dominance among people who are anomaly-prone. This means a reduction in the usual dominance of the left hemisphere and more influence of the right hemisphere, in both information processing and conscious experiences, meaning that the anomaly- prone brain has reduced asymmetry. (Pizzagalli, 2000) High scorers on positive schizotypy, usual lateralisation patterns across the two hemispheres of the brain were altered and the right hemisphere had a greater role. (Grimshaw, Bryson, Atchley and Humphrey, 2010) An over-activation of the right hemisphere might increase paranormal beliefs and experiences. Sceptics on the other hand, have a brain which is more ‘globally’ activated. (Gianotti, Faber and Lehmann, 2002)

13. Finally…