The Three Familiar Types of Abduction Narratives
- Extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH), by which the aliens and spacecraft are real, physical objects that come from worlds other than our own.
- Psychosocial hypothesis, by which behavior (the giving of an account) is cued by the dominant culture, and the biases of abductees. In addition, biases of hypnotists, hypnotherapists, and other outside investigators must be considered.
- Religious-spiritual hypothesis, by which the abduction account is one aspect of a religious conversion. Accounts conforming to this hypothesis share points of similarity, including memories of past lives, near-death experiences, and reincarnation. Religious-spiritual accounts may also be rooted in an anticipation of a coming apocalypse.
Of the three abduction-story types, the first brings built-in mystery and drama, as well as the promise of compelling first-person accounts. Scenarios two and three are more subtle than number one, and thus generate less widespread public interest.
Hypnosis, a key element of type number two, is discussed later in this chapter. The religious-spiritual hypothesis (explanation number three) forms the core of chapter fifteen.