176 TheJournal O@PJ?TwWor Release 2001/03/07 CIA-RDP96-00792ROW7app,§§WPnla4Ibero-American World 177 of parapsychology, some may see little value in monitoring publi cations and research in these countries, perhaps because they doubt that the material produced by such researchers would be of suffi cient quality to make an im ortant contribution to the field (Alva p rado, 1989a). This lack of attention to - formation about ro-American f r 0 0 m a 0 n a ti bo u t en s em f 0 r 0 b parapsychology presents a sen s problem for glish-speaking p g re c ati e Inv t 0 n s parapsychologists, who often rec e invitations attend parapsy a t t chological conferences in some of ese count ' where there are e 0 f ec ou n t e w h c ra groups whose commitment to acade 'c parap hology is doubtful a ad e c a h 0 10 pp and whose only purpose in extendin eir i tations is to legitim- In x tendin eirja-ons gt t etimesablxof smL ize local efforts, which are sometimess a bi s mix of parapsychol- 0 0n Anowledge ogy, spiritism, ufology, and so on. A be nowledge of parapsy- culIe fa il evaluatlon chology in these communities could facili e evaluation of the goals of specific groups who identify them s as parapsychologists. r1t1fY themsas parar David Hess (1990) has pointed out the 11 ing concerning Brazil- .outt11igcoc ,d hen n e ian parapsychology: (Since] anything "international" or 'ffrst worl ,1' i@,Brazil means addi- tional status, the participation of Pffparapsycl .0 its at Brazilian con- ferences that represent one grou F?uld mean Vtimating either Cath- olic or Spiritist Oarapsycholo the expense e other group. (p. 110) Although it is true ,at sf groups exist, i:s r nt to men- .e al@ - s groups an@it 0 s _u tion that there ar I r ers who for many years have carried ut important work-wo that deserves th recognition even thou e language barr Nhiered its re ception in the inter ional parapsychological arena. Efforts to bridge this lack of at tion and to increase cooperation with lbero e American research will not only help those in the English-speak ing countries to r understand cultural differences and national styles in research actice, but also help the researchers in the Ibero r American worl improve the quality of their work. Therefore, I have selected following countries for a general survey of the re- search that h en conducted in parts of Ibero-America: Argen- tina, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Spain. Spain There has never been a serious attempt to organize the history of psychical research in Spain, and information is scarce on early attempts to study psychic phenomena seriously. It was not until the 1920s that the Sociedad Espafiola de Estudios Metapsiquicos was created under the presidency of the Count of Gimeno, member of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Medicine. The Society pub- lished a journal called Revista de Estudios Metapsfquicos (FernAndez Briones, 1981b). The research orientation of the Society was to study spontaneous cases and psychics, such as the famous Joaquin Argamasilla (expert in dermo-optical perception) whose abilities Houdini attempted to expose (Houdini, 1924). Most of the work of this society, however, was lost after the Spanish Civil War during a period of isolation in which only a few researchers kept the torch burning. Familiar names from this period are Sdnchez Herrero, the Marquiz of Santa Clara, J. Palm6s, and M.: Otero y Acevedo, researchers whose independent efforts contrib- uted to,& new generation of investigators such as Ramos Perera Mo- lina, Francisco GavilAn Fontanet, and Luis Fernindez Briones. This latter group, at the beginning of the 1970s, founded the first well- organized society to investigate psychic phenomena in Spain. It was called the Sociedad Espafiola de Parapsicologfa (Ferndndez Briones, 1981b). From its inception, this Society, under the direction of Ra- mos Perera Molina, had as its main goal to promote the scientific study of parapsychology. To achieve this goal, the Society combined the efforts of experts in experimental design, illusionism, psychol- ogy, medicine, and other fields of science and in 1976 established a research center (De Vicente, 1983). To carry out its research projects, the Society has been divided into several research committees that specialize in different areas embracing field studies as well as experimental projects. Among these committees are those concerned with the development of the- oretical models to enhance ESP, Kirlian. photography, experimental research, OBEs, and the medical aspects of psi. More recently, a new committee was established' to investigate anomalous phenom- ena along the lines of the Society for Scientific Exploration, Members of the Society have carried out original research pro- jects in experimental parapsychology as well as research on sponta- neous cases. They have also critically evaluated miracle claims made by the Catholic church in Spain, such as the liquefaction of the blood of Saint Pantale6n Uord;kn Pefia, 1983). One of the most interesting investigations has been conducted by members of the research committee headed by Francisco Gavilin Fontanet (1976). In this study, the committee investigated identical 'The goal of the committee is to investigate UFOs, cryptozoology, religious ap- paritions, and other phenomena scientifically. Approved For Release 2001/03/07 CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0700880001-4 178 Thejournai ofikp1ap9me4f or Release 2001/03/07 CIA-RDP96-00792M00769,986ft(H $14 lbero-American World 179 twin girls presumed to have been born with psi abilities. The case had received extensive coverage by the media in Spain. According to the reports of the case, one of the twin girls had suffered a burn on her hand while ironing. Her sister, separated from her at the time the burning occurred (16 kins away), developed a similar burn on the same hand. The Society sent a team of researchers to carry out a careful investigation of the case. They conducted a series of experiments to determine the possible existence of psi communica- tion between the sisters. One of the experiments consisted of sepa- rating the two girls into two different buildings and stimulating one of them (the sender) with different sensorial inputs (like perfume) while observing physiological reactions, such as pupillary and patel- lar reflexes, in the other twin (the receiver). Psychological profiles of the twins were @tlso obtained from projective tests. The sessions with the two girls were simultaneously filmed to document the stim- uli as well as the perceptual pattern of the reactions. The results showed simultaneous reactions of the twins' reaction time and visual and olfactory responses. In 1978 the members of the Society conducted another impor- tant study, an international survey of the motivational factors of parapsychological researchers. Headed by Gavildn Foritanet (1978), the main objective of the study was to find out what motivates para- psychologists to investigate psychic phenomena. They surveyed 201 parapsychologists from 18 countries around the world. Among the parapsychologists were J. B. Rhine, S. Krippner, and C. Tam Three hundred questionnaires, each having 23 questions, were prepared in five different languageS3 and were mailed to re- searchers throughout the world. Among the interesting findings were that 61% of the respondents were psychologists, psychiatrists, and medical doctors, 45% considered themselves agnostics, 24% got involved in parapsychology while looking for a philosophical answer to the question of the nature of man, 31% got involved for scientific reasons, 51% believed in a transcendent intelligence, -50% believed in some type of survival after death (of these 10% believed in rein- carnation), and 71% reiected astrology. Another research objective of the Society was the search for a theoretical model to enhance psi abilities. For this purpose the So- ciety created the Committee for the Development of ESP' headed by Luis Fern;kndez Briones. The Committee's purpose was to outline 'The languages were English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. A group that conducts experimental and theoretical research about ESP. a methodological model for the practical development of ESP. Once the model and the techniques were developed, the Society hoped it would be possible to train subjects to obtain positive results over an extended period of time (Ferndndez Briones, 1976), thus confront- ing the replicability problem that characterizes most psi research. Although the Committee has not been successful as yet, the results obtained so far are encouraging. Ferndndez Briones summarized the findings in his book entitled Desarrollo de la Percepci6n Extrasen- sorial [The Development of Extrasensory Perception] (1983). Among the techniques used by the Committee to attain this goal are the inducement of altered states of consciousness and the application of learning theory principles to ESP performance, such as those pro- posed bL Charles Tart (1966). Although the results have only been suggestive, Ferndndez Briones was hopeful enough to emphasize the need for more research to test the proposed models sufficiently. Other research conducted by members of the Society includes investigations of poltergeist cases Uorddn Pefia, 1980)'; conceptual papers related to the ability of some fish, such as the electric eel and the sturgeon of the Nile, to obtain information about their sur- roundings through electrical communication, which the authors speculated might be a primitive language of telepathy (Bardasano Rubio & Arano Bermejo, 1980a); examination of the migration of carrier pigeons and other animals to develop a model for ESP (Bar- dasano, Rubio & Arano Bermejo, 1980b); and studies of the socio- logical and anthropological aspects of psychic surgery Uim6nez Vi- sedo, 1984). Moreover, other members of the Society have: speculated on the pineal gland as a possible somatic organ for ESP reception (Bardasano Rubio et al., 1981); examined neurophysiol- ogy and its importance for parapsychological research (Jim6nez Vi- sedo, 1985); considered the psychophysiological. correlates of hyp- nosis and its implications for parapsychology (Gonzdlez Ordi, 1985); investigated perception of the laying-on of hands by a sensorially isolated subject (Prat et al., 1988); proposed three-dimensional models of RSPK studies, that is, the cases are studied within a para- psychological, psychological, and psycho sociological context (De Cas- tro, Clocnzdlez Ordi, & Berrocal Muela, 1984); and offered theoreti- cal models to explain firewalking (Perera, 1989). In the educational area, even though efforts have been made to include parapsychology in the curriculum of universities in Spain, 'Jordin Pefia published a book called Casas Encaniadas, Pokffgeists [Haunted Houses, Poltergeists) (1982), in which he presented an overview of cases and theories of hauntings. For a review of this book, see Alvarado (1985). Approved For Release 2001/03/07 CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0700880001-4 Approved For Release 2001/03/07 180 TheJournal of Parap5ychology these have not been successful as yet. Since its inception, however, members of the Society have been very active in organizing numer- ous educational activities and seminars at different universities. The seminar offered by the president of the Society, Ramos Perera Mo- lina, at the Universidad Aut6noma de Madrid in 1975 drew distin- guished and prominent figures such as Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and his wife and the minister of education. Since 1975, the Society has also published a biannual journal, entitled Psi Comunicaci6n, which includes English abstracts. The journal covers both the activities of the Society and a wide range of topics in parapsychology, some of which have been mentioned. In addition, theirjournal includes a section for national and interna- tional news on parapsychological activities around the world. Mem- bers of the Society have published several books summarizing its re- search activities. I have already mentioned the books by Ferndndez Briones (1983). Other books include an anthology, entitled La Nueva Parapsicologfa: Introducci6n a la Parapsicologfa Cientyica [The New Parapsychology: An Introduction to Scientific Parapsychology] ed- ited by Ferndndez Briones (1981a), a valuable introduction to the field, and Mario Capel's La Supervivencia Despu& de la Muerte: Evi- dencia Espontdnea y Experimental (Survival after Death: Spontaneous and Experimental Evidence) (1981) reviewing some of the research and phenomena related to the issue of survival after death. Although parapsychology has been negligible in Spain until re- cent times, it is important to point out that we are now witnessing a boom in parapsychological activities in that country. Unfortunately, even though the Society seems to be the best organized, and to have the most resources in the Ibero-American world, its members have not participated in the broader international parapsychological con- ferences, such as that of the Parapsychological Association, possibly because of the language barrier. In addition, it is unfortunate and disheartening to find that such a large, productive, and well-orga- nized society has no member in the PA. At the 1990 Parapsycholo rica ion convention, David @ 5ko.0-11-1.1 Hess, who has made several o study Brazilian parapsy- @de sever chology, presented a@ w ic@ d Brazilian para- p f e@ psychology in the ng terms: Brazil does 0rhave a coherent community of academic parapsycholo- gists, and there are few if any people in Brazil who research and publish Approved For Release 2001/03/07 @IA-RDP96-00792ROO0700880001-4 Parapsychology in the Ibero-American World 181 at the standards of the Parapsychological Association. Instead, what is 'z called "parapsychology" in Brazil is Jar defined by rival groups of s a r 91 g I u Catholic and Spiritist (Kardecist) intellectua (Hess, 1990) n t e e c a i n B r erstand parapsychology in Bra , we need to be familiar a To A u h-c with th t ral milieu from which it h volved, one that is dom- h t h ro-' inated by ro-Brazilian cults and Ca licism. On the one hand, and C Ii c a Nh e we h h piritist tradition that c e from France through the tha t c f pi' r' ave t c Ists of Ila Itjsts ieveI Of iti teachings Ilan Kardec; Spiritists ieve that spiritual progress is effected by a ries of compulsory carnations. They believe that 'y a n carna 7 /bnda individuals. Mo s. Mo the Afro-Brazilia from th&African (Bastide, 1971; C This les opportunid to communicate with deceased Ito coml tl rl.strongly ver, Spiritism * strongly influenced in Brazil by cults such as mbanda and Candomble derived 2 ma 5 @igions brou t to Brazil through the slave trade tt 0Brazil spectrum ol mediumship p , Jjp p has crept in and mixe ., 1985). Spiritis liefs and Afro-Brazilian religions in B ilian society (Hess, 1987), creating a F which Brazilian brands of parapsy e are many interesting combinations of S - tism and all sorts of Brazilian religious esseni' cept possession, the influence of spirits individua's H as the belief that divinities can pos- e healing (Parra Alvarez, 1981). , there the Catholic tradition that has de- Lses pa ychology as an ideology with which destroy the movements the church sees as ts to the tablished Catholic dogmas (Hess, 1990). This syste as been dev ped mainly through the work of one of the mos nfluential and spected "parapsychologists" in Ibero-America ather Oscar Go dlez Quevedo, a Spanish-born Jesuit priest h g in Brazil. Padre uevedo (as he is known) and Luis Ferrei a Silva cofounded e Latin American Center of Parapsychol CLAP, of the Anc eta College of Sdo Paulo in 1970. The ter, which was closed do in 1982 and reopened in 1989 un reduced circums cesiou; to offer clinical counseling for e suffering from I =Sycho cproblems related to reli- gious periences and practices (e.fg., monic possession). The Cent still has an impressive library of ks on parapsychology, whi used to be housed in huge facilities at also accommodated a xperimental and clinical laboratory an a museum of objects variety of belief syste chology have evolved. the Kardecist type of movements that of deceased sess individuals and c@ On the othe a r h th veloped a system t to fight and even u ) superstition and e, One of the biggest parapsychology libraries in Latin America with approximately T,000 volumes. CWRDP96-00792R000700880001-4