Here’s a comprehensive list of terms used to describe psychic skills, ghost hunting activity and general parapsychology and their definitions.

Parapsychology is the study of phenomena that cannot be explained through the scientific understanding of the world, i.e. ghosts, psychic abilities, near death experiences, past lives, telepathy and more.

Consciousness survival is the belief that the essence of who you are—I consider this the soul—survives the death of the physical shell.

Identification of those with sixth-sense gifts

  • Psychics, also known as intuitives, tap into the general consciousness of humanity to perceive what is happening without using the five standard senses. Most talented psychics believe that everyone is born with this gift to some degree.
  • Mediums serve as an intermediary between spirits and humans to enable communication. Some mediums allow spirits to enter their bodies.
  • Clairvoyants can see spirits or images. Some people see apparitions as everyone else sees humans in this realm or movie-like snippets/ pictures that appear in their minds.
  • Clairaudients can hear spirits and receive auditory messages.
  • Clairsentients can feel spirits, whether through emotions, physical touch or by experiencing the physical ailments of those who’ve passed (i.e., chest pains, nausea, headaches).
  • Sensitives can sense/see a spirit, but can’t communicate directly with it.
  • Telepaths transmit information to someone else (or animals) without speaking, writing or using any physical interaction.

Specific ESP skills

  • Telekinesis is the ability to move or manipulate matter through mental concentration. Some can move objects or bend spoons with their minds.
  • Precognition is the acquiring of information on the future that cannot be deduced from the objective details available. Some say déjà vu is an indication that that person knew an experience was going to happen.
  • Premonitions are emotions/gut feelings that something is about to take place.
  • Remote viewing is the ability to see in detail a place that person has never been. The U.S. military once employed psychics to “look into” secret compounds for intelligence details.

Ghost Hunting Terms

  • Instrumental transcommunication (ITC) indicates a spirit has tried to communicate with the human realm through an electronic device, whether through audio or video recordings or photography.
  • Electronic voice phenomena (EVP) are spirit messages left on audio recorders, voice mail or phone answering machines. Class A EVP is an Other Worldly communication that is easily understood without any computer enhancement (i.e., slowing down a recording or cleaning up external noise).
  • Dowsing/divining rods are copper rods that are a conduit for spirit energy to answer yes/no questions. A person holds these tools level and firmly, and specifies which way the rods should move to indicate an affirmative or negative answer.
  • Electromagnetic frequency meter (EMF) measures disruptions in the electromagnetic field, in some cases detecting the energy of a spirit. Caution: it also picks up electronic wiring and appliances.

Are there any terms I’ve left out that you’d like to add to this list? If so, please share them with us!