Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health

The Institut für Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygiene (IGPP), known in English as the Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, is a private, non-profit research institute based in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. It was founded shortly after the Second World War by Professor Dr. Dr. Hans Bender (1907–1991), a prominent academic parapsychologist, and began operations in 1950 at Eichhalde 12 in Freiburg-Herdern. Bender directed the institute until his death and also held a chair for frontier areas of psychology at the University of Freiburg between 1954 and 1975, linking the IGPP closely to academic psychology. The institute describes its mission as conducting systematic and interdisciplinary research on misunderstood phenomena and anomalies at the boundaries of current scientific knowledge. Its work covers altered states of consciousness, mind-matter relations, and the social, cultural, and historical contexts of extraordinary experiences, approached from the perspectives of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The IGPP is funded by private sources and operates as a registered voluntary association (eingetragener Verein). Beyond research, the IGPP provides information, education, and counselling services for people who have had exceptional experiences, including spiritual and meditation-induced crises. It maintains a specialised library and research archive on the frontiers of psychology and parapsychology. The institute publishes the Zeitschrift für Parapsychologie und Grenzgebiete der Psychologie as its official journal and also edits the journal Mind and Matter. It awards the Fanny-Moser-Preis and organises colloquia and public events. Leadership has passed through several generations: after Bender, his long-time assistant Prof. Dr. Johannes Mischo (1930–2001) led the institute until 2001; Prof. Dr. Dieter Vaitl directed it until 2020; Prof. Dr. Stefan Schmidt led until mid-2022; and since then PD Dr. Jürgen Kornmeier has served as chairman and director, with Dipl.-Psych. Eberhard Bauer as deputy director. The institute is located at Wilhelmstraße 3a in central Freiburg, near the main railway station.

The IGPP was founded by Professor Dr. Dr. Hans Bender (1907–1991), who after the Second World War was the best-known and most popular academic representative of German parapsychology. Shortly after the war, Bender began building an institute at Eichhalde 12 in Freiburg-Herdern, which commenced operations in 1950. He directed the institute until his death in 1991. This early period, known as the "Eichhalde period", is retrospectively regarded as the "heroic" era of the institute. Bender soon established a link between the institute and the University of Freiburg: between 1954 and 1975 he held a chair for frontier areas of psychology at the university's Psychological Institute while simultaneously serving as director of the IGPP. After Bender's death, his long-time assistant Prof. Dr. Johannes Mischo (1930–2001) succeeded him both in the university chair (until 1998) and as director of the IGPP (until 2001). Prof. Dr. Dieter Vaitl then led the institute until 2020, followed by Prof. Dr. Stefan Schmidt until mid-2022. Since then, PD Dr. Jürgen Kornmeier has been chairman and director, with Dipl.-Psych. Eberhard Bauer as deputy director. The institute is now located at Wilhelmstraße 3a in Freiburg im Breisgau, near the main railway station. Throughout its history, the IGPP has pursued systematic and interdisciplinary research on phenomena and experiences at the boundaries of everyday reality. Its research areas include altered states of consciousness, mind-matter relations, and the social, cultural, and historical contexts of extraordinary experiences. The institute has also provided counselling for people with exceptional experiences, maintained a specialised library and archive, and published the Zeitschrift für Parapsychologie und Grenzgebiete der Psychologie as its official journal, as well as the journal Mind and Matter. It awards the Fanny-Moser-Preis and organises colloquia and public events.

• 2022

  Stefan Schmidt leaves mid-year; Jürgen Kornmeier becomes chairman and director.

• 2020

  Dieter Vaitl steps down; Stefan Schmidt becomes director.

• 2001

  Death of Johannes Mischo; Dieter Vaitl becomes director.

• 1991

  Death of founder Hans Bender; Johannes Mischo succeeds him as director.

• 1975

  Hans Bender ends his university chair but continues as IGPP director.

• 1954

  Hans Bender takes up a chair for frontier areas of psychology at the University of Freiburg, linking the IGPP to the university.

• 1950

  Institute begins operations at Eichhalde 12 in Freiburg-Herdern under Hans Bender.

A privately funded, academically oriented institute that occupies a critical middle ground between scepticism and credulity in the study of parapsychological phenomena and frontier areas of psychology.

• Zeitschrift für Parapsychologie und Grenzgebiete der Psychologie

  Official journal of the IGPP.

• Mind and Matter

  Journal edited by the IGPP.

• Counselling service

  Information and counselling for people with exceptional experiences, including spiritual and meditation-induced crises.

• Specialised library and archive

  Library and research archive on the frontiers of psychology and parapsychology.

• Fanny-Moser-Preis

  Award presented by the IGPP.

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5. 5Wikidata: Institut für Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygienewikidata.org
6. 6Wikipedia (French): Institut für Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygienefr.wikipedia.org