View source for Unsolved:Psychometry (paranormal)

{{Short description|Aspect of extrasensory perception}}
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{{Paranormal}}

'''Psychometry''' (from [[Social:Greek language|Greek]]: ψυχή, ''psukhē'', "spirit, soul" and μέτρον, ''metron'', "measure"),<ref>[[Biography:Joseph Rodes Buchanan|Joseph Rodes Buchanan]], ''Manual of Psychometry : the Dawn of a New Civilization'' Boston, Frank H. Hodges (4th edition), 1893 [https://books.google.com/books?id=o0RDAAAAIAAJ&dq=Manual%20of%20psychometry%20%3A%20the%20dawn%20of%20a%20new%20civilization&pg=PA3 p. 3]. {{ISBN|1-150-07724-7}}</ref> also known as '''token-object reading''',<ref name=parasoc>[http://parapsych.org/glossary_l_r.html#p Psychometry] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824232035/http://parapsych.org/glossary_l_r.html |date=2010-08-24 }} – Key Words Frequently Used in Parapsychology, Parapsychological Association (2006-12-17)</ref> or '''psychoscopy''',<ref>Tischner, Rudolf, ''Telepathy and Clairvoyance'' Great Britain, Steven Austin & Sons, Ltd. 1924, [https://books.google.com/books?id=L79m6bMOQ70C&pg=PA70 p. 70]. {{ISBN|1-84664-135-7}}</ref> is a form of [[Unsolved:Extrasensory perception|extrasensory perception]] characterized by the claimed ability to glean accurate knowledge of an object's history by making physical contact with that object.<ref name="Zusne 1989">[[Biography:Leonard Zusne|Zusne, Leonard]]; Jones, Warren H. (1989). ''Anomalistic Psychology: A Study of Magical Thinking''. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. pp. 193–194. {{ISBN|978-0-805-80507-9}}</ref> Supporters assert that an object may have an [[Philosophy:Energy (esotericism)|energy field]] that transfers knowledge regarding that object's history.<ref name="Zusne 1989"/>

There is no scientific evidence that psychometry exists and the concept has been widely criticized.<ref name="Zusne 1989"/><ref name="Skepdic">[http://skepdic.com/psychometry.html "Psychometry"]. The Skeptic's Dictionary.</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Joseph Rodes Buchanan.jpg|thumb|Joseph Rodes Buchanan]]

[[Biography:Joseph Rodes Buchanan|Joseph Rodes Buchanan]] coined the word "psychometry" (measuring the [[Philosophy:Soul|soul]]) in 1842.<ref name="spence754">[[Biography:Lewis Spence|Spence, Lewis]] ''Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, Part 2'', Kessinger Publishing, LLC (2003), [https://books.google.com/books?id=gq1LhcH48GQC&pg=PA754 p. 754]. {{ISBN|0-7661-2817-2}}</ref><ref name="jrb">Mark A. Lause (University of Cincinnati): ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20041112203715/http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Quad/6460/bio/B/uchananJR.html Joseph Rodes Buchanan]'' ([[Internet Archive]])</ref> Buchanan developed the idea that all things give off an [[Philosophy:Emanationism|emanation]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.paralumun.com/psychometry.htm|title=Psychometry at paralumun.com}}</ref>

<blockquote>''The Past is entombed in the Present!'' The world is its own enduring monument; and that which is true of its physical, is likewise true of its mental career. The discoveries of Psychometry will enable us to explore the history of man, as those of geology enable us to explore the history of the earth. There are mental fossils for psychologists as well as mineral fossils for the [[Geologist|geologist]]s; and I believe that hereafter the psychologist and the geologist will go hand in hand — the one portraying the earth, its animals and its vegetation, while the other portrays the human beings who have roamed over its surface in the shadows, and the darkness of primeval barbarism! Aye, the mental telescope is now discovered which may pierce the depths of the past and bring us in full view of the grand and tragic passages of ancient history!<ref>Buchanan, 1893, [https://books.google.com/books?id=o0RDAAAAIAAJ&dq=Manual%20of%20psychometry%20%3A%20the%20dawn%20of%20a%20new%20civilization&pg=PA73 p.73]</ref></blockquote>

Buchanan asserted that his particular psychism would supersede empiric science. He wrote a comprehensive treatise, ''Manual of Psychometry: the Dawn of a New Civilization'' (1885),  detailing how the direct knowledge of psychometry would be applied to and affect the many various branches of science.<ref>Buchanan, 1893, pp.4–5</ref>

<blockquote>The thermometer measures caloric (''thermo'' temperature). The barometer measures the weight (''baro'', weight) of the atmosphere; the electrometer measures electric conditions; the psychometer measures the soul (''psyche''). In the case of Psychometry, however, the measuring assumes a new character, as the object measured and the measuring instrument are the same psychic element, and its measuring power is not limited to the psychic as it was developed in the first experiments, but has appeared by successive investigation to manifest a wider and wider area of power, until it became apparent that this psychic capacity was really the measure of all things in the Universe.<ref>Buchanan 1893, pp. 3–4</ref></blockquote>

Buchanan continued to promote psychometry throughout his life and his followers believed that it would revolutionize science in a comprehensive way as "the dawn of a new civilization".<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27648/27648-8.txt ''Buchanan's Journal of Man.''], Vol. I. August, 1887. No. 7.</ref> Buchanan's work on psychometry was continued by the geologist William Denton (1823–1883). In 1863, Denton published a book on the subject ''The Soul of Things''. Their work was criticized by [[Biography:Joseph Jastrow|Joseph Jastrow]] as based on [[Medicine:Delusion|delusion]] and [[Philosophy:Wishful thinking|wishful thinking]].<ref>[[Biography:Joseph Jastrow|Jastrow, Joseph]]. (1935). ''Wish and Wisdom: Episodes in the Vagaries of Belief''. D. Appleton-Century Company. pp. 314–322. (Published in 1962 by Dover Books as ''Error and Eccentricity in Human Belief'').</ref>

Others, such as [[Biography:Stephen Pearl Andrews|Stephen Pearl Andrews]] who promoted Psychometry along with his own new science of [[Philosophy:Universology|Universology]], built upon Buchanan's ideas. As a lecturer Andrews asserted that such inquiries, as paraphrased by an 1878 ''{{wipe|New York Times}}'' article, "demonstrated that the sympathy between the mind and body is an exact science".<ref>[https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1878/03/17/81722786.pdf A discourse on Seven Sciences.; Cerebral Physiology, Cerebral Psychology, Sarcognomy, Psychometry, Pneumatology, Pathology, and Cerebral Pathology.] ''{{wipe|The New York Times}}'',  March 17, 1878</ref>

In the later nineteenth century demonstrations of psychometry became a popular part of stage acts and [[Unsolved:Séance|séance]]s, with participants providing a personal object for "reading" by a [[Unsolved:Mediumship|medium]] or psychic. It is also commonly offered at [[Unsolved:Psychic|psychic]] fairs as a type of [[Unsolved:Psychic reading|psychic reading]].<ref>Marcelle S. Fischler [https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/15/nyregion/long-island-journal-where-20-will-buy-a-peek-at-the-future.html Long Island Journal; Where $20 Will Buy A Peek at the Future] ''nytimes.com'', December 15, 2002.</ref> At [[Philosophy:New Age|New Age]] events psychometry has claimed to help visitors "meet the dearly departed" (a form of [[Unsolved:Spiritualism|spiritualism]]).<ref>Katherine E. Finkelstein [https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/25/us/northport-journal-the-very-determined-meet-the-dearly-departed.html Northport Journal; The Very Determined Meet the Dearly Departed] ''nytimes.com'', August 25, 1999.</ref>

==Scientific reception==
There is no scientific evidence that psychometry exists. Skeptics explain alleged successes of psychometry by [[Unsolved:Cold reading|cold reading]] and [[Confirmation bias|confirmation bias]].<ref name="Zusne 1989"/><ref>[[Biography:Piet Hein Hoebens|Hoebens, Piet Hein]]; Truzzi, Marcello. (1985). ''Reflections on Psychic Sleuths''. In ''A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology'', ed. [[Biography:Paul Kurtz|Paul Kurtz]]. Prometheus Books. pp. 631–643. {{ISBN|0-87975-300-5}}</ref><ref>[[Biography:Robert Todd Carroll|Carroll, Robert Todd]]. (2003). ''[[Philosophy:The Skeptic's Dictionary|The Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions]]''. John Wiley & Sons. p. 316. {{ISBN|978-0-471-27242-7}}</ref><ref name="Karen">{{cite web|last1=Stollznow|first1=Karen|title=A Psychometry Reading|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/a_psychometry_reading|website=[[Unsolved:Skeptical Inquirer|Skeptical Inquirer]]|date=12 April 2010|publisher=[[Organization:Center for Inquiry|Center for Inquiry]]|access-date=12 February 2018|ref=Karen}}</ref>
Skeptic [[Biography:Robert Todd Carroll|Robert Todd Carroll]] describes psychometry as a [[Unsolved:Pseudoscience|pseudoscience]].<ref name="Skepdic"/>

The majority of police departments polled do not use psychics and do not consider them credible or useful on cases.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8369369.stm |title=Can psychics help to solve crime?? |access-date=2009-11-22 |last=Barnes |first=Hannah |date=2009-11-23 |publisher=BBC }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.critical-thinking.org.uk/paranormal/psychics/do-the-police-use-psychics.php |title=Do the police use psychics? |access-date=2007-05-25 |last=Silence |first=Eddie |date=2006-03-29 |publisher=Critical Thinking Association (UK) }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3670861|title=Police reject psychic advice|work=Bay Of Plenty Times |access-date=2007-05-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Nickell |first1=Joe |title=Police Psychics: Do They Really Solve Crimes? |url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/police_psychics_do_they_really_solve_crimes |website=csicop.org|date=29 April 2004 }}</ref> Proponents of psychometry have argued that [[Unsolved:Psychic detective|psychic detective]]s have been used by law enforcement agencies on specific cases. However, psychologist [[Biography:Leonard Zusne|Leonard Zusne]] has noted that "enquiries with police officials... reveal that the involvement of psychics has not been very helpful, and that second-hand reports of it are often in gross error."<ref name="Zusne 1989"/>

==See also==
* [[Religion:Discernment of Spirits|Discernment of Spirits]]
* [[Unsolved:Law of contagion|Law of contagion]]
* [[Philosophy:List of topics characterized as pseudoscience|List of topics characterized as pseudoscience]]
* [[Biology:Outline of parapsychology|Outline of parapsychology]]
* [[Unsolved:Parapsychology|Parapsychology]]
* [[Precognition]]
* [[Unsolved:Retrocognition|Retrocognition]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

== Further reading ==
* [[Biography:Joseph Rodes Buchanan|Joseph Rodes Buchanan]] (1893). [https://archive.org/details/manualofpsychome00buchrich ''Manual of Psychometry: The Dawn of a New Civilization'']. Boston: F. H. Hodges.
* William Denton (1863). [https://archive.org/details/soulthingsorpsy00dentgoog ''The Soul of Things, Or, Psychometric Researches and Discoveries'']. Boston: Walker, Wise & Co.
* [[Biography:Joe Nickell|Joe Nickell]] (1994). ''Psychic Sleuths: ESP and Sensational Cases''. Prometheus Books. {{ISBN|0-87975-880-5}}.
* [[Biography:James Randi|James Randi]] (1982). ''Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions''. Prometheus Books. {{ISBN |0-87975-198-3}}.
* [[Biography:Colin Wilson|Colin Wilson]] (1985). ''The Psychic Detectives: The Story of Psychometry and Paranormal Crime Detection''. Mercury House. {{ISBN|0-330-28119-4}}.
* [[Biography:Richard Wiseman|Richard Wiseman]] (2011). ''Paranormality: Why We See What Isn't There''. Macmillan. {{ISBN|978-0-230-75298-6}}.

==External links==
* [http://psychometry.psican.org Psychometry Experiment], a project that gave residents in Ontario, Canada the opportunity to participate in a psychometry study
* [http://skepdic.com/psychometry.html "Psychometry"] in ''[[Philosophy:The Skeptic's Dictionary|The Skeptic's Dictionary]]''

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[[Category:Magic (supernatural)]]
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[[Category:Parapsychology]]
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[[Category:Spiritualism]]

{{Sourceattribution|Psychometry (paranormal)}}