It gives me great pleasure to announce that Dr. Nancy L. Zingrone has received the 2022 Rogo Award for Parapsychological Media for her future publication with her late husband, Dr. Carlos S. Alvarado, “Hidden and Fragmented Mind (1880-1900): The Society for Psychical Research. The field is still reeling from the horrible loss of Carlos along with the grief of the many who he touched with such generosity and grace as well as those lucky enough to consider him a friend. Her proposal to pull together her late husband’s vision, notes, and writing to complete the book that he was unable to finish due to his premature death is an excellent one.
PF feels certain that this book will acquaint modern readers, especially those in psychology and psychiatry, with the importance of the work done by members of the Society for Psychical Research on dissociation and hypnosis. In 2020, Carlos undertook bibliographic research in which he focused on the work of the early SPR, the life and intellectual background of prominent figures involved in research and theorization, and the historical context that preceded and existed during those early days of the Society. Materials were gathered from online various digital libraries containing both the Proceedings and Journals of the SPR, and various other sources, including books and articles about nineteenth-century mesmerism, Spiritualism, psychical research, hypnosis, psychology, psychiatry, and other relevant topics that would document the importance of the research and writing of the SPR and its members to the development of the psychology and psychiatry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His premise was that this type of historical work was influenced by the sea change in the history of science over recent decades in which historians have argued that what had been traditionally referred to as the “occult” was influential in the development of science. He felt that psychical research, a discipline considered of peripheral importance for psychology and psychiatry, has been critical in developing ideas about the mind, subconscious processes, and depictions of dissociation in which memories, thoughts, and sensations were separated from consciousness.
Nancy has taken on the herculean task of collecting and organizing his material which he aimed to introduce to current students. Although not wholly unknown, this work is still neglected by psychologists and psychiatrists interested in developing their discipline. She intends to adhere to his plan for two general sections one of which is introductory chapters, with the second part of the book consisting of reprints of sections of articles to provide primary materials about SPR contributions. Incorporating the plan and his writings, Nancy will complete the book so that the contributions of psychical researchers during these early days will be highlighted, in turn, expanding our understanding of the factors that have affected current studies.
We owe Nancy Zingrone a debt of gratitude that this tome and her future envisioned publications will allow us to continue to benefit from the very fine mind and acumen of Carlos Alvarado. Making the undone projects he envisioned will augment the already large body of work he published over his life. I need not remind you that Zingrone and Alvarado were indeed partners both professionally and personally and their intellectual pursuits and capacities continue to inform the field and allow for more nuance and understanding of the workings of the human mind. Bravo!