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Flight and abduction in witchcraft and UFO lore
1Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, USA.
Psychological Reports
|June 7, 2000
Summary
UFO abductions and Witches' Sabbat tales share striking similarities in narrative structure, symbolism, and psychological functions. This suggests UFO abductions may represent a modern iteration of historical flight and abduction folklore.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Folklore Studies
- Cultural Anthropology
Background:
- The Witches' Sabbat is a historical concept involving flight and abduction.
- Contemporary UFO abduction reports detail similar experiences.
- Both phenomena involve masked figures and 'Men in Black'.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze commonalities between Witches' Sabbat lore and UFO abduction narratives.
- To investigate the psychological functions served by both types of experiences.
- To explore the potential connection between these phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of folklore and abduction testimonies.
- Examination of narrative structures and symbolic elements.
- Psychological interpretation of experiential accounts.
Main Results:
- Identified shared characteristics: masks, 'Men in Black,' flight, and abduction.
- Found congruent narrative structures and symbolism.
- Observed similar psychological needs being met: explanation, freedom, and escape.
Conclusions:
- UFO abductions and Witches' Sabbat tales share fundamental similarities.
- These narratives fulfill analogous psychological functions for experiencers.
- UFO abductions may be a contemporary manifestation of older flight-to-Sabbat folklore.