1. The First International Conference of Parapsychological Studies
Carlos S. Alvarado, Ph.D.
Parapsychology Foundation

2. Modern Parapsychology Before the Utrecht Conference
Congresses
Copenhagen 1921
Warsaw 1923
Paris 1927
Athens 1930
Oslo 1935
Attended Utrecht and Some of the Old Congresses
William MacKenzie (Italy)
William Salter (England)
René Sudre (France)
Thornstein Wereide (Norway)

3. Research Before Utrecht 1953
Parapsychology Laboratory at Duke University
J. B. Rhine
Louise E. Rhine
Charles Stuart
J. G. Pratt
Betty Humphrey
Esther Foster
Other Researchers
Ferdinando Cazzamalli (Italy)
Orlando Canavesio (Argentina)
Whately Carington (England)
Gertrude Schmeidler (USA)
René Warcollier (France)

4. Frances P. Bolton
Eileen J. Garrett
New York Times, February 22nd, 1953

5. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, 1953

6. Organizers of the Conference
Primary Organizers
Mrs. Eileen J. Garrett
Hon. Frances P. Bolton (including financial support)
Dr. Michel Pobers, PF Director
Dr. Gardner Murphy, Chairman
Professor Th. Fischer, Head of the Dutch Reception Committee
Mr. George Zorab, Arrangements
Selected Members of the Executive Committee
Hans Bender (Germany)
Gardner Murphy (USA)
H. H. Price (Great Britain)
Wilhelm H. C. Tenhaeff (Holland)
René Warcollier (France)

7. Early Development of Conference
Organizational Meeting
at Institut
Métapsychique International,
Paris, December, 1952
****
Discussed memo sent
by Garrett
Pobers makes contacts in Europe
****
Discussion with
American workers
Initial Idea
(From Garrett?)
Recommendations:
Hold conference
in Utrecht
2. Murphy as Chair
3. Pobers as
General Secretary
PF Constitutes
Executive Committee
in February
of 1953
to shape conference

9. Some Presenters at Utrecht
Robert Amadou (France)
Hans Bender (Germany)
John Bjorkhem (Sweden)
Eric Dingwall (England)
Jan Ehrenwald (USA)
Jule Eisenbud (USA)
Haakon Forwald (Sweden)
Hornell Hart (USA)
Betty Humphrey (USA)
William MacKenzie (Italy)
Gabriel Marcel (France)
Robert McConnell (USA)
Joost A. M. Meerloo (Holland)
C. A. Meier (Switzerland)
Gardner Murphy (USA)
J. Fraser Nicol (England)
H. H. Price (England)
William G. Roll (then from England)
Gertrude Schmeidler (USA)
Emilio Servadio (Italy)
S. G. Soal (England)
René Sudre (France)
W. H. C. Tenhaeff (Holland)
R. H. Thouless (England)
S. W. Tromp (Holland)
Montague Ullman (USA)
René Warcollier (France)

10. Members from Thirteen Countries
Great Britain 24%
USA 21%
Holland 15%
France 12%
Germany 6%
Austria 5%
Switzerland 5%
Italy %
Sweden 3%
Argentina 1%
Denmark 1%
Norway 1%
Finland 1%

11. Working Groups Quantitative studies
Psychotherapeutic and psychoanalytic approach
Spontaneous phenomena and qualitative research
Personality of the sensitive

12. Quantitative Studies
Haakon Forwald (Sweden): “Researches in Psychokinesis by Means of Placement Technique”
Paul and Christine Vasse (France): “PK and ESP Experiments with Martie Vasse”
Robert Thouless (England): “Experimental Design in Parapsychology”
Solco W. Tromp (Holland): “Recent Experiments on Physical Aspects of the Muscle-Tonus-Reflex (Dowsing)”

13. Psychotherapeutic and Psychoanalytic Approach
Jan Ehrenwald (USA): “Psi, Science, and Psychoanalysis”
Emilio Servadio (Italy): “Depth Psychology and Parapsychology”
H. J. Urban (Austria): “Parapsychological Research at a Psychiatric Clinic”
Wilfried Daim (Austria): “Parapsychological Observations During Psychoanalytical Treatment”

14. Spontaneous Phenomena and Qualitative Research
Hans Bender (Germany): “Precognition in the Qualitative Experiment”
Wilhelm H. C. Tenhaeff (Holland): “Psychoscopic Experiments on Behalf of the Police”
Hornell Hart (USA): “Traveling ESP”
William Mackenzie (Italy): “Biological Roots of Parapsychology”

15. Personality of the Sensitive
J. Fraser Nicol and Betty M. Humphrey (USA): “The Exploration of ESP and Human Personality”
Gertrude R. Schmeidler (USA): “Personality Tests and ESP Scores with College Students”
W. D. Rasch (Germany): “Psychodiagnostic Examinations of Sensitives”
Orlando Canavesio (Argentina): “Electro-encephalography of Metapsychical States”

16. Thanks to Mrs. Garrett and the PF
Resolutions
Thanks to Mrs. Garrett and the PF
Five Year Plan
Publications
Follow-Up Committees

19. Additional Resolutions: Follow-up Committees
Future conferences
Bibliographical committee
Terminology
International medical verification center
Ethnographic and ethnological studies
Psychoanalysis and psychotherapy
Future international cooperation through correspondence

20. Importance of the Utrecht Conference
State of the art summary of aspects of parapsychology
Congress was a manifestation of professionalization in parapsychology
Example of the virtues of international collaboration
Impact on parapsychology

21. Impact of Utrecht 1953 on Parapsychology
Field archieved scientific recognition because of congress
General perspectives of the field
Prospects coming from the congress
Direction of Parapsychology Foundation programs

23. Parapsychology Foundation Conferences
International Study Group on Unorthodox Healing (1954) Some of the topics discussed were criteria for miraculous healing and methodologies to study healing. The participants included Hans Bender, Eileen J. Garrett, Hubert Larcher, Francois Leuret, Emilio Servadio, and D.J. Van Lennep.
International Philosophic Symposium (1954) Some of the topics discussed were theoretical considerations and the meaning of psychic phenomena. The participants included C.J. Ducasse, Aldous Huxley, Pascual Jordan, Gabriel Marcel, C.W.K. Mundle, and H.H. Price.
Conference on Spontaneous Phenomena (1955) Some of the topics discussed included methodologies to study phenomena and the variety of psychic phenomena. The participants included Lydia W. Allison, Kathleen M. Goldney, Hornell Hart, C.A. Meier, Gardner Murphy, Louisa E. Rhine, and W.H. Salter.
International Symposium on Psychology and Parapsychology (1956) Some of the topics discussed included psychodynamic processes, personality variables, and attitudes and ESP. The participants included Robert Amadou, Ernesto de Martino, Jan Ehrenwald, Jean Lhermitte, C.A. Meier, and Emilio Servadio.
International Research Coordination Meeting (1957) Some of the topics discussed were recent studies of ESP experiences, the concept of precognition and mediumship in relation to survival. The participants included Piero Cassoli, Jan Ehrenwald, J.M.J. Kooy, Emilio Servadio, and George Zorab.

24. Selected Examples of Work Funded by the Parapsychology Foundation: Experiments ESP and paranoia (H. Urban, 1954) ESP and personality variables (J.F. Nicol and B. Humphrey, 1954, 1955) ESP of Australian aborigenes (R. Rose, 1954) Differences in scoring in telepathy and clairvoyance conditions (G.R. Schmeidler, 1955) Comparison of GESP and precognition testing conditions (S.D. Kahn, 1955) Studies with young school children (P. Vasse and C. Vasse, 1955) Physical aspects of dowsing and of ESP and climate (S.W. Tromp, 1955) Other Work Psychological studies of psychics (W.H.C. Tenhaeff, 1954) Spontaneous phenomena in Germany during and after the Second Great War (H. Bender, 1954) Healing cases at Lourdes (D.J. West, ) Out-of-body experiences and apparitions (H. Hart, ). Psychics and psychic experiences in the British Isles (E.J. Dingwall, ) Review of the literature of ESP and personality variables (R. Van de Castle and G. Mangan, 1955) Hauntings and physical and mental mediumship (A. D. Cornell, 1955)

25. Frances Bolton & Eileen Garrett
Gardner
Murphy
H. H.
Price
Gertrude
Schmeidler
Gabriel
Marcel
Hans Bender
W. H. C. Tenhaeff
Jules Eisenbud & C. J. Ducasse