Paranormal is a general term that describes unusual experiences that

lack a scientific explanation, or phenomena alleged to be outside of science's current

ability to explain or measure. In parapsychology, it is used to describe the potentially
psychic phenomena of telepathy, extra-sensory perception, psychokinetic, ghosts, and
haunting. The term is also applied to UFOs, some creatures that fall under the scope of
crypto zoology, purported phenomena surrounding the Bermuda Triangle, and other non-
psychic subjects. Stories relating to paranormal phenomena are found in popular culture
and folklore, but the scientific community, as referenced in statements made by
organization such as the United States National Science Foundation, contends that
scientific evidence does not support paranormal beliefs.

Approaching the paranormal from a research perspective is often difficult

because of the lack of acceptance of the physical reality of most of the purported
phenomena. By definition, the paranormal does not conform to conventional expectations
of the natural. Despite this challenge, studies on the paranormal are periodically
conducted by researchers all from various disciplines. Some researchers study just the
beliefs in the paranormal regardless of whether the phenomena are considered to
objectively exist. This section deals with various approaches to the paranormal:
anecdotal, experimental, and participant-observer approaches, the skeptical investigation
approach and the survey approach.

An anecdotal approach to the paranormal involves the collection of stories

told about the paranormal. Such collections, lacking the rig our of empirical evidence, are
not amenable to be subjected to scientific investigation. The anecdotal approach is not a
scientific approach to the paranormal because it leaves verification dependent on the
credibility of the party presenting the evidence. It is also subject to such logical fallacies
as cognitive bias, inductive reasoning, lack of falsifiability.