Research source

First, then, let us distinguish between illusions and hallucinations, as this is of the very greatest…

Date of account: Published 1921
Source: The Problems of Psychical Research Experiments and Theories in the Realm of the Supernormal
Reference: The Problems of Psychical Research Experiments and Theories in the Realm of the Supernormal · selected passage 159
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-24

Record summary

First, then, let us distinguish between illusions and hallucinations, as this is of the very greatest importance in a discussion such as this

Published source text

Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.

Source passage

Source text · mention only

First, then, let us distinguish between _illusions_ and _hallucinations_, as this is of the very greatest importance in a discussion such as this. An illusion is a false sensory perception, the basis of which is, nevertheless, real. Thus, if an old coat in a corner of the room be mistaken for a dog, that would be an illusion. A _point de repere_ is there--a peg, upon which the mind hangs its false inferences or perceptions. An hallucination, on the other hand, is entirely a creation of the mind, and there is, in this case, no _point de repere_, which exists externally, and serves as the basis of the hallucination. Roughly speaking, this may be said to be the difference between the two.

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

This comes from historical psychical research. Methods, witness handling and standards of evidence differ from present-day research and should be assessed from the cited passage and edition.

Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

The passage can support a history of claims and recurring descriptions. It does not establish a paranormal mechanism, and competing psychological, social and physical explanations remain relevant.

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