OMNI

Magazine Overview

Title: OMNI
Issue Date: February 1986
Price: $2.50
Cover Headlines: "ZOMBIE PILLS: HOW VOODOO CAN BRING BACK THE 'LIVING DEAD'" and "CELL SEER: THE MAN WHO CAN READ THE FUTURE IN YOUR CELLS"

UFO Update: Investigating Abduction Experiences

The "UFO UPDATE" section in this issue of OMNI magazine addresses the question of whether individuals who claim to have been abducted by UFOs are psychologically normal. Proponents of the UFO controversy suggest they are, while skeptics often label them as publicity seekers, liars, or schizophrenics.

To investigate, the Maryland-based Fund for UFO Research funded a psychological study of nine purported abductees. The research team, including Ted Bioecher, Budd Hopkins, and clinical psychologist Aphrodite Clamar, enlisted independent clinical psychologist Lisa Slater to examine the subjects. Slater was unaware of the subjects' UFO abduction claims and none of the subjects revealed their experiences during testing.

Slater's tests revealed no overt pathological features that united the subjects. However, she did observe psychological evidence of trauma, noting that the individuals seemed distrustful and even paranoid in personal relationships, akin to victims of rape. When informed that her subjects claimed UFO abductions, Slater stated that her findings were not inconsistent with the possibility that these events had actually occurred.

Further review by another anonymous New York psychologist supported Slater's conclusions. However, many ufologists remain unconvinced that the study proves UFO abductions are real events. Astronomer J. Allen Hynek of the Center for UFO Studies commented that the study only infers that a group of normal people experienced a vivid, traumatic event that profoundly affected them. He posed the question of what alternative explanation could be adopted if abduction accounts are not accepted as real.

Skeptics, such as psychologist Ronald Siegel of the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, dismiss the idea of alien abductions, suggesting that these experiences might stem from neurological quirks and perceptual flaws. Siegel argues that the initial focus should have been on neuropsychological assessments to understand how personality might interpret signals, rather than solely relying on psychological tests.

Despite the differing interpretations, the consensus among experts seems to be that the Fund for UFO Research has provided evidence that UFO abductees are experiencing something bizarre. However, the exact nature and cause of these experiences remain unknown.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of OMNI magazine explores themes of the paranormal, the unexplained, and the intersection of psychology with fringe phenomena. The cover stories on "Zombie Pills" and the "Cell Seer" suggest a focus on sensational, yet potentially scientifically intriguing, topics. The "UFO Update" article demonstrates an editorial stance that, while acknowledging skeptical viewpoints, leans towards investigating and presenting the psychological impact and potential reality of anomalous experiences like UFO abductions, without definitively concluding their cause.