extraordinary%20encounters

6 Abductions by UFOs
the Roper Organization. Using five “indicator”
questions, they sought evidence for possible abduction
experiences among those surve ye d .
Pollsters interv i ewed 5,947 adult Americans. In
their reading of the results, Hopkins and Ja c o b s
deduced that “the incidence of abduction experiences
appears to be on the order of at least
2% of the population” (Unusual Personal Ex p e -
r i e n c e s , 1992). That comes to 3.7 million abductees.
Critics rejected this assertion, arguing
that the study contained too many methodological
flaws to mean much. T h ree social scientists,
all with backgrounds in ufology, examined
the poll and came to a wholly differe n t
conclusion: “For the present we have no re l iable
and valid estimate of the pre valence of the
UFO abduction phenomenon” (Hall, Ro d e gh
i e r, and Johnson, 1992).
In a study of the various theories advanced
to explain UFO abductions, psychologist Stuart
Appelle observed that all testable, more or
less conventional hypotheses (confabulation,
fantasy proneness, false memory, sleep hallucination,
and the like) stand on shaky empirical
ground. On the other hand, literalistic interpretations
suffer from an absence of anything
like solid, veridical evidence. All that can be
said with certainty is that abduction experiences
have the feeling of reality to those who
undergo them. Most do not fall into an easily
identifiable psychological category. They appear
to be reasonably consistent in their core
features, and some cases involve multiple witnesses.
These last cases, in Appelle’s view,
“may provide the greatest challenge to prosaic
explanations” (Appelle, 1995/1996).
See Also: Alien DNA; Aliens and the dead; Cocoon
people; Contactees; Dual reference; Gray Face;
Hopkins, Budd; Hybrid beings; Insectoids; Keel,
John A.; MU the Mantis Being; Nordics; Puddy’s
abduction; Reptoids; Strieber, Whitley; Walton’s
abduction
Further Reading
Appelle, Stuart, 1995/1996. “The Abduction Experience:
A Critical Evaluation of Theory and Evidence.”
Journal of UFO Studies 6 (new series):
29–78.
Appelle, St u a rt, St e ven Jay Lynn, and Leonard Newman,
2000. “Alien Abduction Experiences.” In
Et zel Cardena, St e ven Jay Lynn, and St a n l e y
K r i p p n e r, eds. Varieties of Anomalous Ex p e r i e n c e :
Examining the Scientific Ev i d e n c e ,253–282. Wa s hington,
DC: American Ps ychological Association.
Bu l l a rd, Thomas E., 1987. UFO Abductions: T h e
Me a s u re of a My s t e ry. Volume 1: Compara t i ve St u d y
of Abduction Re p o rts. Volume 2: Catalogue of Ca s e s .
Mount Rainier, MD: Fund for UFO Re s e a rc h .
———, 1989. “Hypnosis and UFO Abductions: A
Troubled Relationship.” Journal of UFO Studies 1
(new series): 3–40.
———, 1991. “Folkloric Dimensions of the UFO
Phenomenon.” Journal of UFO Studies 3 (new series):
1–57.
———, 2000. “Abductions under Fire: A Review of
Recent Abduction Literature.” Journal of UFO
Studies 7 (new series): 81–106.
C l a rk, Je rome, 2000. “From Mermaids to Little Gr a y
Men: The Pre h i s t o ry of the UFO Abduction Ph enomenon.”
The An o m a l i s t 8 (Spring): 11–31.
Fuller, John G., 1966. The Interrupted Journey: Two
Lost Hours “Aboard a Flying Saucer.” New York:
Dial Press.
Hall, Robert L., Mark Rodeghier, and Donald A.
Johnson, 1992. “The Prevalence of Abductions:
A Critical Look.” Journal of UFO Studies 4 (new
series): 131–135.
Hopkins, Budd, 1981. Missing Time: A Documented
Study of UFO Abductions. New York: Richard
Marek Publishers.
———, 1987. Intruders: The Incredible Visitations at
Copley Woods. New York: Random House.
Jacobs, David M., 1992. Secret Life: Firsthand Ac -
counts of UFO Abductions. New York: Simon and
Schuster.
———, 1998. The Threat. New York: Simon and
Schuster.
Keel, John A., 1975. The Mothman Prophecies. New
York: Saturday Review Press/E. P. Dutton and
Company.
Klass, Philip J., 1988. UFO-Abductions: A Dangerous
Game. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.
Lawson, Alvin H., 1980. “Hypnosis of Imaginary
‘Abductees’.” In Curtis G. Fuller, ed. Proceedings
of the First International UFO Congress, 195–238.
New York: Warner Books.
Lorenzen, Jim, and Coral Lorenzen, 1977. Abducted!
Confrontations with Beings from Outer Space. New
York: Berkley Medallion.
Mack, John E., 1994. Abduction: Human Encounters
with Aliens. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Strieber, Whitley, 1987. Communion: A True Story.
New York: Beach Tree/William Morrow.
Sw o rds, Michael D., 1988. “Ex t r a t e r restrial Hybridization
Un l i k e l y.” MUFON UFO Jo u rn a l 2 4 7 :
6 – 1 0 .