Abductions? Not likely.Abductions? Not likely.

By Michael Berkowitz, Josh By Michael Berkowitz, Josh Liljedahl, Ryan Narus, and Liljedahl, Ryan Narus, and

Grayson FarrarGrayson Farrar

Why do people believe in UFOs???Why do people believe in UFOs???

Consistency of the stories told by the Consistency of the stories told by the victims.victims.

Quantity of testimonials claiming abductionsQuantity of testimonials claiming abductions Apparent sincerity of those who experience Apparent sincerity of those who experience

the abductionsthe abductions Testimonials from young childrenTestimonials from young children

Consistency of StoriesConsistency of Stories

Victims have similar stories without Victims have similar stories without prior knowledge of each others prior knowledge of each others experiencesexperiences

Share very similar detailed stories, many people comment Share very similar detailed stories, many people comment on the eyes of the aliens. on the eyes of the aliens.

Many people claimed to have been probed all over the Many people claimed to have been probed all over the body in the same sort of manner.body in the same sort of manner.

People have similar descriptions of being sexually abused People have similar descriptions of being sexually abused with vivid descriptions of the examination room.with vivid descriptions of the examination room.

Almost all abductees claim they were paralyzed and Almost all abductees claim they were paralyzed and kidnapped in their sleep from their rooms. kidnapped in their sleep from their rooms.

Quantities of TestimoniesQuantities of Testimonies

Testimonies come in mass quantities from Testimonies come in mass quantities from different people worldwide. different people worldwide.

Testimonies come from all different types of Testimonies come from all different types of people. (No just wackos!)people. (No just wackos!)

Apparent Sincerity of VictimsApparent Sincerity of Victims

Many victims show great emotion and have difficulty talking Many victims show great emotion and have difficulty talking about experiencesabout experiences

When victims speak or write about it sincerity is evidentWhen victims speak or write about it sincerity is evident Dr. John Mack, Harvard University said “case after case Dr. John Mack, Harvard University said “case after case

there is consistence in the power of the stories, self doubt, there is consistence in the power of the stories, self doubt, and sincerityand sincerity

Dr. Mack also opened hundreds of letters from claimed Dr. Mack also opened hundreds of letters from claimed victims and said, “its is very convincing that these stories victims and said, “its is very convincing that these stories are from absolute reality because the victims are truly are from absolute reality because the victims are truly traumatizedtraumatized

He was convinced to the point of jeopardizing He was convinced to the point of jeopardizing his his personal reputation as well as his reputation as a personal reputation as well as his reputation as a Harvard professorHarvard professor

Testimonies of ChildrenTestimonies of Children

““Mommy I saw the shadows again last night”Mommy I saw the shadows again last night” Children with abduction stories too Children with abduction stories too

young to have knowledge of abduction young to have knowledge of abduction scamsscams

Small boy and his toddler sister each Small boy and his toddler sister each gave a testimony. gave a testimony.

Testimonials from small children are Testimonials from small children are more convincing, because they seem more convincing, because they seem more sincere.more sincere.

MemoryMemory episodic memoryepisodic memory

– Memory for one’s personal past experiencesMemory for one’s personal past experiences confabulationconfabulation

– False recollection of episodic memoryFalse recollection of episodic memory source misattributionssource misattributions

– When people misremember the time, place, person, When people misremember the time, place, person, or circumstances involved with a memory; false fame or circumstances involved with a memory; false fame effecteffect

source amnesiasource amnesia– A type of amnesia that occurs when a person shows A type of amnesia that occurs when a person shows

memory for an event but cannot remember where memory for an event but cannot remember where they encountered the informationthey encountered the information

Memory can be very unreliable and even Memory can be very unreliable and even malleable for these reasonsmalleable for these reasons

HypnosisHypnosis suggestibilitysuggestibility

– The development of biased The development of biased memories when provided with memories when provided with misleading misleading informationinformation

– While under hypnosis, if the person While under hypnosis, if the person doing doing the hypnotizing is charismatic enough, the person the hypnotizing is charismatic enough, the person undergoing the hypnotism will do or say just about undergoing the hypnotism will do or say just about anything to please the hypnotistanything to please the hypnotist

– With a hypnotist pressing for information and details, With a hypnotist pressing for information and details, a subject is very likely to use their imagination rather a subject is very likely to use their imagination rather than actual memorythan actual memory

– Hallucinations and dreams can engender real Hallucinations and dreams can engender real emotions, and critics say that hypnosis and emotions, and critics say that hypnosis and therapeutic suggestion can transform these emotions therapeutic suggestion can transform these emotions into traumatic abduction memoriesinto traumatic abduction memories

Lost in a Shopping Mall ExperimentLost in a Shopping Mall Experiment

Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus set out to prove that Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus set out to prove that memories are malleable and unreliable by the well known memories are malleable and unreliable by the well known “Lost in a shopping mall” experiment“Lost in a shopping mall” experiment

The experiment attempts to implant a false memory into a The experiment attempts to implant a false memory into a subject using hypnosissubject using hypnosis

The subject is told under hypnosis that she was lost in a The subject is told under hypnosis that she was lost in a mall at a young age, then the subject elaborates and mall at a young age, then the subject elaborates and memories are formedmemories are formed

The experiment was a successThe experiment was a success One week later, the subject had constructed a detailed One week later, the subject had constructed a detailed

account of an event that never took placeaccount of an event that never took place

Support GroupsSupport Groups

Suggestive influence could also be in effect in support Suggestive influence could also be in effect in support groupsgroups

People reveal things about themselves that they clearly People reveal things about themselves that they clearly find embarrassing and the therapist helps them explain find embarrassing and the therapist helps them explain these things away as the product of their alien abductionthese things away as the product of their alien abduction

Also, whatever story the person imagines and reveals to Also, whatever story the person imagines and reveals to the group is then accepted as a memory, and when the the group is then accepted as a memory, and when the person offers it to the group and is rewarded for finding person offers it to the group and is rewarded for finding what was expected, it all makes sensewhat was expected, it all makes sense– Example: one woman testified that she did not recall being sexually Example: one woman testified that she did not recall being sexually

violated during her abduction, but said that it is very possible she violated during her abduction, but said that it is very possible she blocked it outblocked it out

Sleep Paralysis’s Sleep Paralysis’s Relation to Alien Relation to Alien

AbductionsAbductions

What is Sleep Paralysis?What is Sleep Paralysis?

Sleep paralysis consists of a period when Sleep paralysis consists of a period when one cannot perform voluntary movements.one cannot perform voluntary movements.

It occurs either at the beginning (hynogogic) It occurs either at the beginning (hynogogic) or at the end (hypnopompic) of sleeping.or at the end (hypnopompic) of sleeping.

REM sleep- The stage of sleep marked by rapid REM sleep- The stage of sleep marked by rapid eye movements, dreaming, and paralysis of eye movements, dreaming, and paralysis of motor systems; sleep with an activated brainmotor systems; sleep with an activated brain

SymptomsSymptoms

Patient is unable to move their limbs or Patient is unable to move their limbs or torsotorso

Short periods of partial or full paralysis Short periods of partial or full paralysis of the bodyof the body

Vivid dreams that can seem real to the Vivid dreams that can seem real to the patientpatient

Effects of Sleep ParalysisEffects of Sleep Paralysis

Patients who suffer from sleep Patients who suffer from sleep paralysis, may experience dreams that paralysis, may experience dreams that seem extremely real. They often report seem extremely real. They often report realistic hallucinations, hear a variety of realistic hallucinations, hear a variety of sounds, have out of body experiences, sounds, have out of body experiences, feel a presence or entity is in the room, feel a presence or entity is in the room, and may feel this presence or entity and may feel this presence or entity touching or moving them. touching or moving them.

Hag PhenomenaHag Phenomena

Occurrences of the Hag Occurrences of the Hag Phenomena, in Phenomena, in mythology, date back to mythology, date back to the Greeks and the Greeks and Romans. It is also Romans. It is also recorded in many recorded in many religions and cultures religions and cultures across the world. The across the world. The basic concept is that a basic concept is that a spiritual, magical or spiritual, magical or mythical creatures mythical creatures attacks sleeping attacks sleeping persons. persons.

Hag PhenomenaHag Phenomena

Usually climbing on top of their chest and Usually climbing on top of their chest and attempting to crush or suffocate them. In attempting to crush or suffocate them. In Europe it was believed that small ghoulish Europe it was believed that small ghoulish hags or witches were the attackers. The hags or witches were the attackers. The attackers can be seen by their victims and attackers can be seen by their victims and feel real, however they usually suddenly feel real, however they usually suddenly disappear the instant the victim regains disappear the instant the victim regains control of their body. UFO sightings could be control of their body. UFO sightings could be modern version of this phenomenon.modern version of this phenomenon.

What it MeansWhat it Means

Victims of sleep paralysis and “alien Victims of sleep paralysis and “alien abductions” report highly similar abductions” report highly similar experiences. If a psychiatrist or other experiences. If a psychiatrist or other individual trusted by the victim offers being individual trusted by the victim offers being abducted by aliens, it fits all the details of abducted by aliens, it fits all the details of the event, and seems plausiblethe event, and seems plausible. .

Cultural ImpactCultural Impact

Close Encounters?Close Encounters?

After successful movies such as After successful movies such as E.T.E.T. and and Close Encounters of the Third KindClose Encounters of the Third Kind reports reports increaseincrease

Betty Hill’s experienceBetty Hill’s experience

Problems With Testimonials and Problems With Testimonials and Current EvidenceCurrent Evidence

Observer biasObserver bias Confirmation Bias- most cases of “UFO”s Confirmation Bias- most cases of “UFO”s

solvedsolved Hindsight Bias- people read books like Hindsight Bias- people read books like

“Intruders” or see movies, and recall “Intruders” or see movies, and recall memories from long agomemories from long ago

Reactivity- The knowledge that one is being Reactivity- The knowledge that one is being observed alters the behavior being observed alters the behavior being observed- childrenobserved- children

HARD EVIDENCEHARD EVIDENCE

BibliographyBibliography

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