METHODOLOGY
To test the fantasy-proneness hypothesis, I carefully reviewed the thirteen chapter-length cases in Mack’s Abduction (Chapters 3-15), selected from the forty-nine patients he most carefully studied out of seventy-six “abductees.” Since his presentation was not intended to include fantasy proneness, certain potential indicators of that personality type—like a subject’s having an imaginary playmate—would not be expected to be present. Nevertheless, Mack’s rendering of each personality in light of the person’s alleged abduction experiences was sufficiently detailed to allow the extraction of data pertaining to several indicators of fantasy proneness. They are the following:
1) Susceptibility to hypnosis. Wilson and Barber rated “hypnotizability” as one of the main indicators of fantasy proneness. In all cases, Mack repeatedly hypnotized the subjects without reporting the least difficulty in doing so. Also, under hypnosis the subjects did not merely “recall” their alleged abduction experiences but all of them reexperienced and relived them in a manner typical of fantasy proneness. (Wilson and Barber 1983) For example, Mack’s patient “Scott” (Case No. 3) was so alarmed at “remembering” his first abduction (in a pre-Mack hypnosis session with another psychiatrist) that, he said, “I jumped clear off the couch.” (Mack, 1994) “Jerry” (No. 4) “expressed shock over how vividly she had relived the abduction,” said Mack. Similarly, “Catherine” (No. 5) “began to relive” a feeling of numbness and began “to sob and pant.” (Mack, 1994)
2) Paraidentity. I have used this term to refer to a subject’s having had imaginary companions as a child and/or by extension to claiming to have lived past lives or to have a dual identity of some type. Of their fantasy-prone subjects, Wilson and Barber stated: “In fantasy they can do anything—experience a previous lifetime, experience their own birth, go off into the future, go into space, and so on.” As well, “While they are pretending, they become totally absorbed in the character and tend to lose awareness of their true identity.” (Wilson and Barber, 1983)
Thus, as a child, “Ed” (Case No. 1) stated: “Things talked to me. The animals, the spirits…I can sense the earth.” “Jerry” (No. 4) said she has had a relationship with a tall extraterrestrial being since age five. At least four of Mack’s subjects (Nos. 5, 7, 9, and 10) said they have had pastlife experiences, and seven (Nos. 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12) said they have some sort of dual identity. For example “Dave” (No. 10) said he considers himself “a modern-day Indian,” while “Peter” (No. 11) under hypnosis said he becomes an alien and speaks in robotic tones. (Mack 1994) In all, eleven of Mack’s thirteen featured subjects exhibited paraidentity.
3) Psychic experiences. Another strong characteristic of fantasy proneness, according to Wilson and Barber, is that of having telepathic, precognitive, or other types of psychic experience.
One hundred percent of Mack’s thirteen subjects claimed to have experienced one or more types of alleged psychical phenomena, most reporting telepathic contact with extraterrestrials. “Catherine” (Case No. 5) also claimed she can “feel people’s auras.” “Eva” (No. 9) said she is able to perceive beyond the range of the five senses; and “Carlos” (No. 12) said he has had “a history of what he calls ‘visionary’ experiences.” (Mack, 1994)
4) “Floating” or out-of-body experiences. Wilson and Barber stated: “The overwhelming majority of subjects (88 percent) in the fantasy-prone group, as contrasted to few (8 percent) in the comparison group, report realistic out-of-the-body experiences” which one subject described as “a weightless, floating sensation” and another called “astral travel.” Only one of Mack’s thirteen subjects (No. 2) failed to report this. Of the other twelve, most described, under hypnosis, being “floated” from their beds to an awaiting spaceship. Some said they were even able to drift through a solid door or wall, that being a further indication of the fantasy nature of the experience (more on this later). Also, “Eva” (No. 9) stated that she had once put her head down to nap at her desk and then “saw myself floating from the ceiling….My consciousness was up there. My physical body was down there.” Also, in the case of “Carlos” (No. 12), “Flying is a recurring motif in some of his more vivid dreams.” (Mack, 1994)
5) Vivid or “waking” dreams, visions, or hallucinations. A majority of Wilson and Barber’s subjects (64 percent) reported they frequently experienced a type of dream that is particularly vivid and realistic. Technically termed hypnogogic or hypnopompic hallucinations (depending on whether they occur, respectively, while the person is going to sleep or waking), they are more popularly known as “waking dreams” or, in earlier times as “night terrors.” (Nickell, 1995) Wilson and Barber reported that several of their subjects “were especially grateful to learn that the ‘monsters’ they saw nightly when they were children could be discussed in terms of ‘what the mind does when it is nearly, but not quite, asleep.” Some of Wilson and Barber’s subjects (six in the fantasy-prone group of twenty-seven, contrasted with none in the comparison group of twenty-five) also had religious visions, and some had outright hallucinations. (Wilson and Barber, 1983)
Of Mack’s thirteen selected cases, all but one (Case No. 13) reported either some type of especially vivid dream, or vision, or hallucination. For example, “Scott” (No. 3) said he had “visual hallucinations” from age twelve. “Jerry” (No. 4) recorded in her journal “vivid dreams of UFOs” as well as “visions.” and “Carlos” (No. 12) had the previously mentioned “visionary” experiences and dreams of flying. Almost all of Mack’s subjects (Nos. 1-11), like “Sheila” (No. 2), had vivid dreams with strong indications of hypnogogic and/or hypnopompic hallucinations. (Mack, 1994)
6) Hypnotically generated apparitions. Encountering apparitions (which Wilson and Barber define rather narrowly as “ghosts” or “spirits”) is another Wilson-Barber characteristic (contrasted with only 16 percent of their comparison group). A large number of the fantasizers also reported seeing classic hypnogogic imagery, which included such apparition-like entities as “demontype beings, goblins, gargoyles, monsters that seemed to be from outer space.” (Wilson and Barber, 1983)
Mack’s subjects had a variety of such encounters, both in their apparent “waking dreams” and under hypnosis. Only the latter were considered here; all thirteen subjects reported seeing one or more types of outer-space creatures during hypnosis.
7) Receipt of special messages. Fifty percent of Wilson and Barber’s fantasizers (contrasted with only eight percent of their comparison subjects) reported having felt that some spirit or higher intelligence was using them “to write a poem, song, or message.” (Wilson and Barber, 1983)
Of Mack’s thirteen abductees, all but one clearly exhibited this characteristic, usually in the form of receiving telepathic messages from the extraterrestrials and usually with a message similar to the one given “Arthur” (Case No. 13) “about the danger facing the earth’s ecology.” Interestingly, many of these messages just happen to echo Mack’s own apocalyptic notions (indicating that Mack may be leading his witnesses).
In the case of “Eva” (No. 9), the aliens, who represented a “higher communication,” purportedly spoke through her and described her “global mission.” “Jerry” (No. 4) produced a “flood of poetry,” yet stated, “I don’t know where it’s coming from.” “Sara” (No. 7) has been “spontaneously making drawings with a pen in each hand [of aliens]” although she had never used her left hand before; and “Peter” (No. 11) stated he has “always known that I could commune with God” and that the aliens “want to see if I’m a worthy leader.” (Mack, 1994)
RESULTS
One of Mack’s subjects (“Sheila,” No. 2) exhibited four of the seven fantasy-prone indicators, and another (“Arthur,” No. 13) exhibited five; the rest showed all seven characteristics.
Although not included here, healing—that is, the subjects’ feeling that they have the ability to heal—is another characteristic of the fantasy-prone personality noted by Wilson and Barber. At least six of M
ack’s thirteen subjects exhibited this. Other traits, not discussed by Wilson and Barber but nevertheless of possible interest, are the following (together with the number of Mack’s thirteen subjects that exhibit it): having seen UFOs (9 cases); New Age or mystical involvement (11); Roman Catholic upbringing (6 of 9, whose religion was known or could be inferred); previously being in a religio-philosophical limbo/quest for meaning in life (10); and involvement in the arts as a vocation or avocation (5). For example, while apparently neither an artist, healer, nor UFO sighter, “Ed” (No. 1) had “a traditional Roman Catholic upbringing” and—as rather a loner who said he felt “lost in the desert”—he not only feels he can “talk to plants” but said he has “practiced meditation and studied Eastern philosophy in his struggle to find his authentic path.” “Carlos” (No. 12) is an artist/writer/ “fine arts professor” involved in theatrical production who said he has seen UFOs and has a “capacity as a healer”; raised a Roman Catholic, and interested in numerology and mythology, he calls himself “a shaman/artist teacher.” (Mack, 1994)
Also of interest, I think, is the evidence that many of Mack’s subjects fantasized while under hypnosis. For example—in addition to aliens—“Ed” (No. 1) also said he saw Earth spirits whom he described as “mirthful little playful creatures”; and “Joe” (No. 6) said he saw “mythic gods, and winged horses.” “Joe” also “remembered” being born. “Catherine” (No. 5), “Sara” (No. 7), “Paul” (No. 8), and “Eva” (No. 9), said they had pastlife experiences or engaged in time-travel while under hypnosis. Several said they were able to drift through solid doors or walls, including “Ed” (No. 1) “Jerry” (No. 4), “Catherine” (No. 5), “Paul” (No. 8), “Dave” (No. 10), and “Arthur” (No. 13). “Carlos” (No. 12) claimed his body was transmuted into light. I have already mentioned that under hypnosis “Peter” (No. 11) said he becomes an alien and speaks in an imitative, robotic voice. In all, eleven of Mack’s thirteen subjects (all but Nos. 2 and 3) appear to fantasize under hypnosis. Of course it may be argued that there really are “earth spirits” and “winged horses,” or that the extraterrestrials may truly have the ability to time travel or dematerialize bodies, or that any of the other examples I have given as evidence of fantasizing are really true. However, once again the burden of proof is on the claimant and until that burden is met, the examples can be taken as further evidence of the subjects’ ability to fantasize.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite John Mack’s denial, the results of my study of his best thirteen cases show high fantasy proneness among his selected subjects. Whether or not the same results would be obtained with his additional subjects remains to be seen. Nevertheless, my study does support the earlier opinions of Baker and Bartholomew and Basterfield that alleged alien abductees tend to be fantasy-prone personalities. Certainly, that is the evidence for the very best cases selected by a major advocate.
—JOE NICKELL
(Note: I am grateful to psychologists Robert A. Baker and Barry Beyerstein for reading this study and making helpful suggestions.)
References
Baker, Robert A. “The Aliens Among Us: Hypnotic Regression Revisited,” Skeptical Inquirer (Winter 1987-88).
Bartholomew, Robert E. and Basterfield, Keith. “Abduction States of Consciousness,” International UFO Reporter (March/April 1988).
Bartholomew, Robert E., Basterfield, Keith, and Howard, George S. “UFO Abductees and Contactees: Psychopathology or Fantasy Proneness?” Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (1991).
Cone, William. 1994. Research therapy methods questioned. UFO 9(5): 32-34.
Mack, John E. Abduction: Human Encounters with Aliens (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1994).
Nickell, Joe. Entities: Angels, Spirits, Demons and Other Alien Beings (Prometheus Books, 1995).
Spanos, Nicholas P.; Cross, Patricia A.; Dickson, Kirby; and DuBreuil, Susan C. “Close Encounters: An Examination of UFO Experiences,” Journal of Abnormal Psychology (1993).
Wilson, Sheryl C., and Barber, Theodore X. “The Fantasy-Prone Personality: Implications for Understanding Imagery, Hypnosis, and Parapsychological Phenomena” in Sheikh Anees A., ed. Imagery: Current Theory, Research, and Application (John Wiley & Sons, 1983).
Maitreya The Buddhist Sanskrit title and name for the Buddha to come, comparable in definition and purpose to the Cosmic Christ, Hebrew Messiah, and Islamic Imam Mahdi. Maitreya is channeled by some New Age teachers and is associated with “the return of the Christ”, the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, and the Harvest or Ascension.
—SCOTT MANDELKER
Majestic 12 (MJ-12) documents In December of 1984 a Los Angeles UFO researcher named Jaime H. Shandera allegedly received, anonymously, a roll of unprocessed 35-mm film. He contacted an associate, William L. Moore, coauthor (with Charles Berlitz) of The Roswell Incident (1980), and the two had the film developed. On it were two purported government documents marked “TOP SECRET/EYES ONLY.” If genuine, the papers would prove that the United States had recovered crashed saucers in the American southwest and that President Harry S. Truman authorized “Operation Majestic Twelve” to handle such matters.
Another MJ-12 document surfaced later, reportedly discovered by Moore and Shandera at the National Archives in the summer of 1985. Still others appeared in 1992, allegedly left in the mailbox of a little-known researcher, and in 1994 an “MJ-12 Special Operations Manual” appeared on a roll of film sent anonymously to UFOlogist Don Berliner (Klass, 1999).
That the documents were available only as copies effectively prevented examination of paper, ink, etc. However it also raised questions about their provenance (i.e., history or chain of ownership). While prominent UFOlogist Stanton T. Friedman defended the authenticity of the first three documents (but not others), forensic analysis revealed their spuriousness (Klass, 1990; Nickell and Fischer, 1990).
One document, a seven-page “BRIEFING DOCUMENT: OPERATION MAJESTIC 12 / PREPARED FOR PRESIDENTELECT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER” bore a pseudomilitary date format, containing an extraneous comma: “18 November, 1952.” Another incorrect feature was the use of a zero with single-digit dates, e.g. “On 07 July, 1947….” These two anomalous date features are separately distinctive and all the more so when found together. The combination has not been discovered in genuine documents of the period (although, interestingly, it appeared in personal letters written by William L. Moore during the 1980s). While the “briefing document” was purportedly written by Rear Admiral R. H. Hillenkoetter, a linguistic expert found stylistic elements that were “uncharacteristic” of Hillenkoetter and suggested that the text could have been an imitation of his style (Nickell and Fischer 1990).
Note that characters are not aligned with numerals, indicating a composite.
The other document, a “MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE,” dated September 24, 1947, was seriously flawed. Labeled a memorandum, it bore a salutation—an element reserved for letters. No such incompetent hybrid memo/letter has ever been shown to emanate from President Truman’s office. Moreover, although cited in the “briefing document” as an executive order, the memo/letter was given a bogus executive order number. Other problems concerned the typewriting. For example, careful inspection reveals that the numerals of the date are out of alignment with respect to the other characters, thereby indicating they were typed at a different time. (Nickell, 1996)
Also, the positioning of Truman’s signature is atypical.
President Truman invariably placed his signature close to the text, as is shown in the top two examples. With the “T” as a radius, an inscribed circle cuts well into the typewriting. However, the questioned “MJ-12” example (which follows) fails this test.
Most importantly, the signature exactly matches the signature on a known Truman letter, showing—in the words of a professional document examiner—that the “memo” signature was “a classic signature transplant, i.e., a genuine signature employed in a photocopy forgery.”
Philip
J. Klass (1990) correctly described the match as the “smoking gun” in the MJ-12 case, clearly proving forgery.
As to the document allegedly found in the National Archives—ostensibly a carbon copy of a memorandum from Robert Cutler (special assistant to President Eisenhower) to USAF Chief of Staff General Nathan Twining—the National Archives issued a statement questioning its authenticity on numerous grounds. For example, it lacked a requisite “Top Secret register number.” Also, on the day the memo was purportedly written—July 14, 1954—Cutler was actually away from Washington (Klass 1990; Nickell and Fischer 1990). The subsequently appearing MJ-12 documents of 1992 and 1994 similarly suffer from scrutiny. (For a discussion see Klass 1999.)
Truman signature from authentic letter matches one on an “MJ-12” memo (although multiple copying has rendered the text darker and slightly stretched). Since no two individual signatures are identical, this demonstrates that the questioned document is spurious.
While a few UFO researchers who lack document expertise continue to argue otherwise, the scientific and scholarly evidence unquestionably proved the MJ-12 documents are forgeries.
—JOE NICKELL
References
Klass, Philip J. “New Evidence of MJ-12 Hoax,” Skeptical Inquirer (Winter, 1990).
_______. “Dr. Robert Wood Emerges as New Promoter of MJ-12 Authenticity,” Skeptics UFO Newsletter (January, 1999).
Nickell, Joe. Detecting Forgery: Forensic Investigation of Documents. (The University Press of Kentucky, 1996).
Nickell, Joe, and John F. Fischer. “The Crashed-saucer Forgeries,” International UFO Reporter (March/April, 1990).
The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrial Encounters Page 59