Unit Members

Name: Prof Christopher C French BA, PhD, FBPsS, CPsychol, FRSA
Role: Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit and Perrott-Warrick Researcher.
Postal address: Room 311,  Whitehead Building, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, SE14 6NW.
Phone: +44 (0)20 919 7882
Fax: +44 (0)20 919 7873
Email: c.french (@gold.ac.uk)

Chris French is a Professor of Psychology and Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths College, University of London (www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/apru). Between 1997 and 2000, he served as Head of Department. He teaches a course entitled Anomalistic Psychology as part of the BSc (Hons) Psychology programme at Goldsmiths College.

Anomalistic psychology may be defined as the study of extraordinary phenomena of behaviour and experience, including (but not restricted to) those which are often labelled “paranormal”. It is directed towards understanding bizarre experiences that many people have without assuming a priori that there is anything paranormal involved.

Prof. French is a Chartered Psychologist, a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Perrott-Warrick Researcher. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers & Commerce, and the Institute for Cultural Research, in addition to being a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the British False Memory Society and the Advisory Board of the Center for Inquiry, London. He has published over 100 articles and chapters covering a wide range of topics within psychology, including publications in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, the Lancet, Emotion, the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, andthe British Journal of Psychology. His main current area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. In addition to academic activities (for which he has received funding from the ESRC and the MRC) Prof French has also given conference presentations and invited talks in other departments, alongside frequent appearances on radio and television, casting a sceptical eye over paranormal claims.

Name: Tamas Borbely
Role: Research Assistant
Postal address: Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, SE14 6NW.
Phone: +44 (0)020 7717 2270
Email:  t.borbely (@gold.ac.uk)

I am currently engaged in a research project funded by the Bial Foundation, investigating individual differences in susceptibility to developing false memories, with a special focus on how an understanding of this process may be relevant to providing a psychological explanation for reports of ostensibly paranormal experiences.

More generally, my research interest lies in the beliefs and cognitions that are not based on objectively verifiable facts but rather on an experience of reality that is distorted by unconscious cognitive and perceptual biases, a lack of understanding of probability theory, and deception (including self-deception). My research in this area has brought me into contact with a variety of exciting topics, including lie detection, conjuring, and belief in paranormal and supernatural phenomena. Additionally, I have a keen interest in statistics, and in the future hope to contribute to promoting the public understanding of this underappreciated discipline.

Name: Lindsay Kallis
Role: PhD student
Postal address: Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, SE14 6NW.
Email: ps701lk (@gold.ac.uk)

My PhD research is on the Psychology of Supernatural Beliefs (secular and religious). While much attention has been paid to why individuals believe in the supernatural and how these beliefs manifest, very little research has focused on individuals and groups that lack supernatural belief (e.g., sceptics, atheists, agnostics, etc.). My aim is to develop a psychometric instrument that can be applied to measure various factors of supernatural disbelief and to utilize this instrument in exploring connections with cognition, personality, and neuropsychological underpinnings.

I am the Managing Editor of The Skeptic (UK) and am involved in various sceptical and science related events around London. Outside of academia I enjoy sailing, climbing, visiting museums, travel, and spending time with my family and friends. Good music and good food make me very happy.

Name: Julia Santomauro
Role: PhD Student
Postal address: Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, SE14 6NW.
Email: j.santomauro (@gold.ac.uk)

I am working on my PhD in sleep paralysis (SP). I am researching the reality monitoring and reality discrimination skills of people who experience SP. I am also developing a new questionnaire, the Goldsmiths Sleep Paralysis Questionnaire (GSPQ). Once the questionnaire is developed and standardised I will use it to examine the prevalence of SP and to analyse underlying factor structures. I hope to run some post-doctoral research using the GSPQ to examine SP and personality variables such as schizotypy and also to see whether the belief system of the individual is related to type of SP experience that the individual has.

My interests outside Goldsmiths include spending time with family and friends, running, cycling, reading (literature and trashy magazines), cocktails, and sleeping.

Name: Mark Williams
Role: Research Assistant.
Postal address: Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, SE14 6NW.
Email: mark.williams (@gold.ac.uk)

My mainstream academic interests lie within the fields of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience while my interests within the anomalistic field are principally related to the Psychology of belief. I am intrigued by the ontology and propagation of belief systems and how cognitive and perceptual biases, suggestibility, resistance to change, and other common factors may influence our willingness to accept alternative positions and explanations than our own.

Outside the academic arena I am a committed advocate of animal ethics and have undertaken considerable investigation of positions on both sides of the vivisection debate. I also hold an active interest in mentalism, both as a performer and an individual interested in the evolution of, and techniques used within deceptive or fraudulent psychic displays. I serve on the Editorial team of The Skeptic Magazine (UK), writing two columns for the publication.

Advisory Board

Prof. Peter Smith (internal member)
Dr Alice Gregory (internal member)
Prof. Richard Wiseman (external member)