Rhine, Joseph

Rhine, Joseph (Banks) (1895–1980) psychologist, parapsychologist; born in Juniata County, Pa. After taking his Ph.D. in botany at the University of Chicago, he studied under William McDougall at Duke University, where he became professor of psychology (1937). He cofounded the Parapsychology Laboratory there (1930) and the Institute of Parapsychology in Durham, N.C. (1964) and is generally recognized as the founder of modern studies of psychical phenomena. His experiments involving packs of specially designed cards used by subjects in different rooms established the phenomena of extrasensory perception (ESP) and telepathy on a statistical basis. In addition to coining the term "extrasensory perception," he coined the term "psychokinesis" (PK) to describe mental influence on external events. He founded and edited the Journal of Parapsychology and his publications include New Frontiers of the Mind (1937). On retiring from Duke (1965), he continued his often controversial work at the Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man.