Psychokinesis is a term coined by publisher Henry Holt to refer to the direct influence of mind on a physical system that cannot be entirely accounted for by the mediation of any known physical energy. Examples of psychokinesis could include distorting or moving an object,[6] and influencing the output of a random number generator. The study of phenomena said to be psychokinetic is part of parapsychology. Some psychokinesis researchers claim psychokinesis exists and deserves further study, although the focus of research has shifted away from large-scale phenomena to attempts to influence dice and then to random number generators

Initially, this ability was called „telekinesis” because the word parapsychology has been superseded by psychokinesis and became an archaism. Both concepts have been described by other terms, such as "remote influencing", "distant influencing" "remote mental influence", "distant mental influence", "directed conscious intention", " anomalous perturbation“, and "mind over matter." Originally telekinesis was coined to refer to the movement of objects thought to be caused by ghosts of deceased persons, mischievous spirits, angels, demons, or other supernatural forces. Popular usage favours the word "telekinesis" to describe the paranormal movement of objects, perhaps due to the word's resemblance to other terms, such as telepathy and teleportation.

In parapsychology, we distinguish: Macro-PK (macroscopic PK) - (effects of immense potency that can be seen), Micro-PK (microscopic PK) - (minor effects visible only with special measurements and rigorous analysis of statistics). Currently, the experiments and researches are carried out on both PK’s cases with a particular focus and interest in microscopic phenomena. One of the most well-known experimental studies of this type are the researches of the Random Event Generators (REG) in the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Laboratory Research, or the experiments of Qigong masters in the Laboratory Bio-emission in Chiba.

Like other psychic phenomena, anomalous perturbation experiments and research and psychokinesis are not, generally speaking, regarded as mainstream science. According to the representatives of the latter there is not a single reliable proof of their existence, in addition to testimony of witnesses, which makes the phenomenon subject of controversy - even among academics. According to various scientific and non-scientific sources of the phenomena psychokinetic experiments were extensively carried out in Russia (especially during the "Cold War” period). There is also speculation about the performance of scientific research into anomalous perturbation and application of their results by the institutions and organizations in the United States, ostensibly for the purpose of intelligence and military.

Parapsychologists distinguish the following types of psychokinesis: telekinesis - the ability to move objects with the mind force; levitation - the ability to lift objects or people (sometimes treated as telekinesis, however, displacement vector is horizontal and not vertical); teleportation - the transfer of items, the collection of objects, even in very remote locations without loss of time, a phenomenon occurring in mediumistic seances; pyrokinesis - micro-psychokinetic activity aimed at increasing temperature of the object, leading to ignite (Ignition); cryokinesis - micro-psychokinetic effect in reducing the temperature of the object by reducing the frequency of vibration of molecules, so the temperature of the object is decreasing;

electrokinesis - psychokinetic ability which causes the movement of molecules against each other and thus creates lightning; Hydrokinesiotherapy - a term indicating the ability to create or increase the amount of liquid water using psychokinesis to duplicate the particles in it. biokinesis - DNA modification by psychokinesis. aerokinesis - specifies the name of psychokinetic control of the air at the molecular level using manipulation of the energy. The name comes from two Latin words meaning „air” and „movement” geokinesis – the ability to control the ground, predicting and causing earthquakes. magnetokinesis - the ability to control the forces of magnetism, and various metal objects. atmokinesis - the ability to control the weather. girokinesis - the ability to control gravity in your immediate area. vitakinesis - the ability to heal oneself and control our own health and the aging process. chronokinesis - control over the flow of time, and the ability to stop it.