David Michael Jacobs
Encyclopedia
David Michael Jacobs is an American
historian
and recently retired Associate Professor of History at Temple University
, specializing in twentieth century American history and culture. He is well known in the field of Ufology
for his research into alleged alien abductions and UFO
s.
As a faculty member of the Department of History at Temple University
, Jacobs specialized in history of 20th-century American popular culture. He stated that his current research interests "involve a delineation of the role of anomalous experiences in personal and cultural life." For over 25 years Jacobs has taught a course on "UFOs in American Society."
. He has lectured widely, been interviewed, and participated in numerous television and radio shows on the subject of alien abductions.
In recent years Jacobs has argued publicly that the evidence from his research, which includes using hypnotic regression with alleged alien abductees along with traditional interview techniques, shows that alien-human hybrids are engaged in a secret program of infiltration into human society with the final goal of taking over the Earth.
He asserts that some of his research subjects are teaching these hybrids how to blend into human society so that they cannot be differentiated from humans, and that this is occurring worldwide.
and Susan Clancy
have criticized the methods used by Jacobs and other abduction researchers. Sagan asserted that sightings and experiences could be attributed to mistaken identity and faulty memory
. Clancy has highlighted problems associated with abduction research, such as faulty memory retrieval
when hypnotists "lead" the patient, and sleep paralysis
.
Jacobs has argued that Clancy's methodology was flawed, stating that in numerous cases people report they were abducted when fully awake and conscious, and that therefore sleep paralysis is not a tenable hypothesis.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and recently retired Associate Professor of History at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, specializing in twentieth century American history and culture. He is well known in the field of Ufology
Ufology
Ufology is a neologism coined to describe the collective efforts of those who study reports and associated evidence of unidentified flying objects . UFOs have been subject to various investigations over the years by governments, independent groups, and scientists...
for his research into alleged alien abductions and UFO
Unidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
s.
Career
Jacobs obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1973, in the field of intellectual history. He wrote his dissertation on the controversy over unidentified flying objects in America. A revised edition of his dissertation was published as The UFO Controversy in America by Indiana University Press in 1975.As a faculty member of the Department of History at Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, Jacobs specialized in history of 20th-century American popular culture. He stated that his current research interests "involve a delineation of the role of anomalous experiences in personal and cultural life." For over 25 years Jacobs has taught a course on "UFOs in American Society."
Ufology
Jacobs has a high profile in the field of UfologyUfology
Ufology is a neologism coined to describe the collective efforts of those who study reports and associated evidence of unidentified flying objects . UFOs have been subject to various investigations over the years by governments, independent groups, and scientists...
. He has lectured widely, been interviewed, and participated in numerous television and radio shows on the subject of alien abductions.
In recent years Jacobs has argued publicly that the evidence from his research, which includes using hypnotic regression with alleged alien abductees along with traditional interview techniques, shows that alien-human hybrids are engaged in a secret program of infiltration into human society with the final goal of taking over the Earth.
He asserts that some of his research subjects are teaching these hybrids how to blend into human society so that they cannot be differentiated from humans, and that this is occurring worldwide.
Criticism
Carl SaganCarl Sagan
Carl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer and science communicator in astronomy and natural sciences. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books...
and Susan Clancy
Susan Clancy
Susan A. Clancy is a psychology researcher at Harvard University in the field of memory.-Abducted:In October 2005 her book Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens was published. Clancy came to the subject of alien abductions while studying recovered memories, a phenomenon...
have criticized the methods used by Jacobs and other abduction researchers. Sagan asserted that sightings and experiences could be attributed to mistaken identity and faulty memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
. Clancy has highlighted problems associated with abduction research, such as faulty memory retrieval
Misinformation effect
The misinformation effect refers to the finding that exposure to misleading information presented between the encoding of an event and its subsequent recall causes impairment in memory. This effect occurs when participants' recall of an event they witnessed is altered by introducing misleading...
when hypnotists "lead" the patient, and sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis is paralysis associated with sleep that may occur in healthy persons or may be associated with narcolepsy, cataplexy, and hypnagogic hallucinations. The pathophysiology of this condition is closely related to the normal hypotonia that occurs during REM sleep. When considered to be a...
.
Jacobs has argued that Clancy's methodology was flawed, stating that in numerous cases people report they were abducted when fully awake and conscious, and that therefore sleep paralysis is not a tenable hypothesis.
Major publications
- The UFO Controversy in America. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1975. ISBN 9780253190062
- Secret Life: Firsthand Accounts of UFO Abductions. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992. ISBN 0671748572
- The Threat:Revealing the Secret Alien Agenda. Simon & Schuster, 1998. ISBN 0-6848-1484-6
- UFOs and Abductions: Challenging the Borders of Knowledge. Lawrence, Kan.: University Press of Kansas, 2000. ISBN 0700610324
See also
- Abduction phenomenonAbduction phenomenonThe terms alien abduction or abduction phenomenon describe "subjectively real memories of being taken secretly against one’s will by apparently nonhuman entities and subjected to complex physical and psychological procedures." People claiming to have been abducted are usually called "abductees" or...
- Extraterrestrial lifeExtraterrestrial lifeExtraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
- Extraterrestrial life in popular cultureExtraterrestrial life in popular cultureIn popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
- UfologyUfologyUfology is a neologism coined to describe the collective efforts of those who study reports and associated evidence of unidentified flying objects . UFOs have been subject to various investigations over the years by governments, independent groups, and scientists...
External links
- ICAR: International Center for Abduction Research Jacobs' ICAR website
- David M. Jacobs Jacobs' faculty page at Temple University Department of History