Rauf, Betul. 2024. A scientific investigation of the associations between sleep, the paranormal, and religion. Doctoral thesis, Goldsmiths, University of London [Thesis]

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Abstract or Description

Night-time can be an interesting and sometimes frightening experience for certain people who report ostensibly paranormal experiences and paranormal beliefs. The associations between sleep and paranormal variables remain highly under-researched. The broad aim of this thesis is to generate a better understanding of the associations between various aspects of sleep and paranormal beliefs as well as religion. Previous literature has been conducted on a small scale or has been limited in scope (e.g., assessing a limited range of sleep variables), thus, more research in this area is required in order to move this field forward. An initial scoping review (Chapter 2) was conducted to synthesise existing literature on sleep and the paranormal. Generally, the studies included indicated an association between reports of paranormal beliefs and encounters and sleep disturbances, although some results were mixed or non-significant. The first empirical study, presented in Chapter 4, utilised data from the BBC Focus study and explored clinical features, demographic differences, as well as related prevention and disruption techniques regarding isolated sleep paralysis (ISP) – a phenomenon where individuals are conscious but unable to move as they are falling asleep or waking up (Sharpless, 2016). Distinguished from sleep paralysis (SP), ISP occurs independently of other sleep or neurological disorders, while SP encompasses all occurrences of this condition (Hurd, 2010; Sharpless & Kliková, 2019). Results indicate that reports of ISP were associated with poorer sleep outcomes and were more prevalent among female and younger participants. Moreover, various techniques aimed at either preventing or disrupting ISP episodes were documented along with their perceived effectiveness. The following studies, detailed in Chapters 5 and 6, (with Chapter 6 representing an attempted replication study), provided an empirical investigation into the associations between a range of sleep variables and paranormal beliefs. Findings from Chapter 5 showed that greater endorsement in paranormal beliefs was associated with poorer subjective sleep quality as well as occurrences of ISP and exploding head syndrome (EHS). The replication study showed mostly non-significant results, but largely mirrored the patterns observed in Chapter 5. The two last empirical investigations (presented in Chapters 7 and 8) examined the role of religion in relation to ISP, with Chapter 7 representing a pilot study. Paranormal and religious beliefs can be considered as belonging to a shared category (see Chapter 1 for more details) if the idea is to look at beliefs and phenomena that fall outside of the realm of conventional science (Staddon, 2013). Hence, in this thesis, both religious and paranormal beliefs were considered from this shared perspective. The pilot study showed that reports of SP were associated with greater religious faith, whereas the main study indicated an inverse association, suggesting lower levels of religious faith among those reporting ISP. These divergent findings may be influenced by factors such as variation in the sample composition across the studies. Additionally, results from the main study suggested that ISP occurrences were more prevalent among individuals identifying as agnostic or atheist compared to religious participants. Collectively, the insights and findings derived from the studies presented throughout the thesis underscore a compelling association between various sleep variables, particularly ISP, and both paranormal and religious beliefs. The findings suggest the importance of evaluating sleep disturbances in individuals who report paranormal and/or religious beliefs or experiences. If replicated and developed, these findings could eventually inform the development and refinement of behavioural interventions aimed at addressing sleep-related issues within these populations, thereby enhancing overall well-being and understanding of these phenomena.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Identification Number (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.25602/GOLD.00037221
Keywords:	sleep, paranormal, religion, supernatural, nighttime, faith
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Psychology
Date:	30 June 2024
Item ID:	37221
Date Deposited:	05 Jul 2024 13:44
Last Modified:	05 Jul 2024 13:51
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/37221

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