Editing Parapsychology (section)

==Terminology==
The term ''parapsychology'' was coined in 1889 by philosopher [[Max Dessoir]] as the German {{Lang|de|parapsychologie}}.<ref name="BringmannLück1997">{{cite book|last1=Bringmann|first1=Wolfgang G.|last2=Lück|first2=Helmut E.|title=A Pictorial History of Psychology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dyh9AAAAMAAJ|year= 1997|publisher=Quintessence Pub.|isbn=978-0867152920}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Dessoir |first=Max |author-link=Max Dessoir |date=June 1889 |title=Die Parapsychologie |trans-title=Parapsychology |url=http://www.iapsop.com/archive/materials/sphinx_leipzig/sphinx_v7_1889.pdf |journal=Sphinx |language=de|volume=7 |issue=42 |page=341 |via=IAPSOP}}</ref> It was adopted by [[Joseph Banks Rhine|J. B. Rhine]] in the 1930s as a replacement for the term ''psychical research'' to indicate a significant shift toward experimental methodology and academic discipline.<ref name=Melton>{{Cite encyclopedia|last=Melton |first=J. G. |title=Parapsychology |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Occultism & Parapsychology |publisher=[[Thomson Gale]] |location=Farmington Hills, Michigan|date=1996 |isbn=978-0810394872}}</ref> The term originates from the {{langx|el|παρά}} {{Transliteration|el|''para''}} meaning "alongside", and [[psychology]].

In parapsychology, '''psi''' is the unknown factor in [[extrasensory perception]] and psychokinesis experiences that is not explained by known physical or biological mechanisms.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Harvey J.|last1=Irwin|first2=Caroline A.|last2=Watt|title=An Introduction to Parapsychology|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|date=2007|edition=5th|isbn= 978-0786430598|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first1=Charles M.|last1=Wynn|first2=Arthur W.|last2=Wiggins|title=Quantum Leaps in the Wrong Direction: Where Real Science Ends...and Pseudoscience Begins|url=https://archive.org/details/quantumleapswron00wynn_223|url-access=limited|publisher=Joseph Henry Press|date=2001|isbn=978-0309073097|page=[https://archive.org/details/quantumleapswron00wynn_223/page/n166 152]}}</ref> The term is derived from ψ ''psi,'' the 23rd letter of the [[Greek alphabet]] and the initial letter of the {{langx|el|ψυχή|translit=|links=no}} {{Lang|el-Latn|psyche}}, "mind, soul".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parapsych.org/faq_file1.html#6 |title=Parapsychology FAQ Page 1 |publisher=Parapsych.org |date=2008-02-28 |access-date=2014-04-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626192424/http://www.parapsych.org/faq_file1.html#6 |archive-date=2007-06-26 }}</ref><ref name=parasoc1>{{cite web |url=http://parapsych.org/glossary_l_r.html#p |title=Glossary of Psi (Parapsychological) Terms (L-R) |publisher=Parapsych.org |access-date=2014-04-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824232035/http://parapsych.org/glossary_l_r.html#p |archive-date=2010-08-24 }}</ref> The term was coined by [[biologist]] [[Bertold Wiesner]], and first used by psychologist [[Robert H. Thouless|Robert Thouless]] in a 1942 article published in the ''[[British Journal of Psychology]]''.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Thouless | first1 = R. H. | year = 1942 | title = Experiments on paranormal guessing | journal = [[British Journal of Psychology]] | publisher=[[Wiley-Blackwell]]|location=London, England|volume = 33 | pages = 15–27 | doi=10.1111/j.2044-8295.1942.tb01036.x}}</ref>

The [[Parapsychological Association]] divides psi into two main categories: psi-gamma for [[extrasensory perception]] and psi-kappa for psychokinesis.<ref name=parasoc1/> In popular culture, "psi" has become more and more synonymous with extraordinary [[psychic]], [[mind|mental]], and "[[psionic]]" abilities and powers.