Perceptual and Motor Skills

Magazine Overview

This document is a research article titled "TOLERANCE OF AMBIGUITY AND THE PERCEPTION OF UFOS" by James Houran, published in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills, Volume 85, in 1997. The article explores the psychological factors that may contribute to the interpretation of ambiguous aerial phenomena as unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

Research Hypothesis and Methodology

The central hypothesis of the research was that individuals who identify as UFO percipients would exhibit a significantly lower tolerance for ambiguity compared to those who do not identify as UFO percipients. This is based on the premise that a low tolerance for ambiguity is associated with enhanced magical thinking, which can include a belief in UFOs.

To test this hypothesis, the study distributed 200 copies of the Rydell-Rosen Ambiguity Tolerance Scale to local colleges and social service agencies. Eighty-two questionnaires were returned, comprising responses from 40 men and 42 women. The participants were self-selected, which may have led to a sample bias with a higher proportion of UFO percipients than might be found in the general population.

Participants were asked to indicate if they had ever witnessed a UFO. The study identified 39 UFO percipients (20 men, 19 women) with an average age of 31.1 years (SD=13.7) and 43 nonpercipients (20 men, 23 women) with an average age of 30.5 years (SD=11.3).

Findings

The results strongly supported the hypothesis. The 39 UFO percipients scored significantly lower on the tolerance of ambiguity measure (M=11.4, SD=2.3) compared to the nonpercipients (M=12.8, SD=2.3). The statistical analysis yielded an F-statistic of 5.70 with p<.02.

Further analyses were conducted to rule out confounding factors. Scores on tolerance of ambiguity did not correlate with age (r = .05, ns). An analysis of variance also indicated that there was no significant difference between men and women in their scores on tolerance of ambiguity. The 42 women (M=12.2, SD=3.0) scored comparably to the 40 men (M=12.0, SD=2.6).

Discussion and Implications

The findings suggest that a low tolerance for ambiguity is a psychological characteristic that may predispose individuals to interpret ambiguous aerial phenomena as extraterrestrial craft. The study complements conventional explanations for some UFO sightings, which include the misinterpretation of natural phenomena such as the Moon or Venus, or luminous aerial phenomena linked to geomagnetic activity.

However, the author emphasizes that this finding does not suggest that all UFO sightings can be explained by a low tolerance of ambiguity. Additional personality and neuroscientific factors may be involved, particularly in more complex UFO-related reports such as "abduction" and "missing embryo" phenomena.

References

The article cites ten references, including studies on spontaneous sightings of humanoid entities, anomalous experiences, UFO handbooks, the effects of stress and ambiguity on magical thinking, scales for ambiguity tolerance, explanations for the UFO abduction phenomenon, and geophysical variables related to UFO phenomena.

Publication Details

The article was accepted for publication on September 20, 1997. The journal is Perceptual and Motor Skills, with the article appearing in volume 85, pages 973-974. The publisher is Perceptual and Motor Skills, and the country of publication is the USA. The original language is English.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring theme of this article is the psychological underpinnings of UFO perception, specifically the role of cognitive biases like a low tolerance for ambiguity. The editorial stance of Perceptual and Motor Skills appears to be open to publishing research that explores psychological and behavioral aspects of unusual phenomena, including UFOs, within a scientific framework. The journal facilitates the discussion of these topics by providing a platform for empirical research and theoretical exploration, while also acknowledging the need for further investigation into complex cases.