Neuromagnetic Effects on Anomalous Cognitive Experiences A Critical Appraisal of the Evidence for Induced Sensed-presence and Haunt-type Experiences

A growing number of laboratory studies have shown that anomalous sensed-presence experiences can be artificially induced by applying temporally complex, weak-intensity magnetic fields to the outer cortex of the brain. The present paper discusses this neuromagnetic account, its biophysical plausibility and its limitations when applied to spontaneous experiences. It is argued that future research should concentrate on both independent laboratory-based replications of the effects and on producing more explicit biophysical mechanisms for an interaction between weak complex magnetic fields and the human brain. It is concluded that although the neuromagnetic account has much to commend it, it is important to acknowledge that it is neither uncontroversial nor comprehensive in its current form.