Terence Hines

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Terence Hines
Born
Terence Michael Hines

22 March 1951 (1951-03-22) (age 74)
Hanover, New Hampshire, United States
Occupation Professor of psychology

Terence Michael Hines (born 22 March 1951) is an American academic and researcher. He is a professor of psychology at Pace University, New York, [1] and adjunct professor of neurology at the New York Medical College; [2] he is also a science writer with 42 publications. [3] Hines has a BA from Duke University, and an MA and PhD from the University of Oregon. [4]

Contents

A fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Hines is the author of Pseudoscience and the Paranormal which focuses on the fields of pseudoscience and the paranormal in the United States. He has also, controversially, authored papers expressing doubts about the existence of the G-spot.

Pseudoscience and the Paranormal

Hines is the author of the book Pseudoscience and the Paranormal [5] , which mostly focuses on pseudoscience and the paranormal in the United States. [6] He distinguishes pseudoscience from science by describing it as a hypothesis inconsistent with the known laws of physics, but one which cannot be falsified. [6] In his book, Hines argues that pseudoscience tends not to be updated in the face of newly obtained evidence, and he highlights the difficulty in clearly demarcating pseudoscience from the paranormal. [7] :242 He also postulates that if paranormal abilities such as clairvoyance or precognition were possible, then surely one would expect casino and lottery incomes to be affected, although no such effect is observed. [8] :635

Hines is a fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, [9] an organization that promotes skeptical inquiry of paranormal claims.

G-spot

In a 2001 comprehensive review article, Hines claimed that the evidence for the existence of the Gräfenberg spot ("G-spot"), a spot that 84% of women believe exists, [10] was too weak, and that claims of its existence were based on small sample sizes and not supported by biochemistry or anatomy (particularly the lack of extra nerve endings in the region). [11] [12] Most of the studies at that time had also been conducted by a single team. Hines asserted that if such a spot exists, it is not particular to the Skene's glands. [13] He described the G-spot as a "sort of gynecologic UFO: much sought for, much discussed, but unverified by objective means". The initial review resulted in a large controversy with three publications quickly defending its existence. [11]

Works

References

  1. Pace University. (n.d.). Terence Hines. Pace University New York. https://www.pace.edu/profile/terence-hines Accessed 1 September 2025
  2. TLinkedIn. Linkedin. (n.d.). https://www.linkedin.com/in/terence-hines-8563a147/ Accessed 1 September 2025
  3. Terence Hines | professor of psychology | ph. D. | Pace University, New York City | Department of Psychology | Research profile. Research Gate. (n.d.). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Terence-Hines Accessed 1 September 2025
  4. "Dyson Faculty Profile: Terence Hines, Ph.D." Archived from the original on 27 September 2013.
  5. Pseudoscience and the Paranormal: A Critical Examination of the Evidence (1st ed.). Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus Books. 1988. ISBN   978-0-87975-419-8.
  6. 1 2 White, Michael (22 September 1988). "A Shadow of Science". New Scientist . Retrieved 30 March 2013.
  7. Fowler, Jeaneane (1999). Humanism: Beliefs and Practices. Brighton, England: Sussex Academic Press. ISBN   978-1-898723-70-7.
  8. Hurley, Patrick J. (2010). A Concise Introduction to Logic (11th ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth. ISBN   978-0-8400-3416-8.
  9. "CSI Fellows and Staff". Skeptical Inquirer. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  10. Dwyer, Peter L. (February 2012). "Skene's gland revisited: function, dysfunction and the G spot". International Urogynecology Journal. 23 (2): 135–137. doi:10.1007/s00192-011-1558-1. PMID   21901439. S2CID   7114781.
  11. 1 2 Levin, Roy J. (1 February 2003). "The G-spot—reality or illusion?". Sexual and Relationship Therapy. 18 (1): 117–119. doi:10.1080/1468199031000064487. S2CID   144894852.
  12. Kilchevsky, Amichai; Vardi, Yoram; Lowenstein, Lior; Gruenwald, Ilan (1 March 2012). "Is the Female G-Spot Truly a Distinct Anatomic Entity?". The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 9 (3): 719–726. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02623.x. PMID   22240236.
    • Shafik, A.; Shafik, A. A.; El Sibai, O.; Shafik, I. A. (1 January 2007). "Identification of a vaginal pacemaker: An immunohistochemical and morphometric study". Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. 27 (5): 485–488. doi:10.1080/01443610701405689. PMID   17701796. S2CID   26019593.
    • The original article is Hines, T (1 August 2001). "The G-spot: A modern gynecologic myth". American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 185 (2): 359–362. doi:10.1067/mob.2001.115995. PMID   11518892.
  13. Colson, M.-H. (Spring 2010). "Female orgasm: Myths, facts and controversies". Sexologies. 19 (1): 8–14. doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2009.11.004.