They began calling themselves ufologists in the 1950s and felt that logical analysis of sighting reports would validate the notion of extraterrestrial visitation.
Such deception can be used as a means of covering-up more mundane terrestrial activities - like the testing of secret aircraft or military exercises - or to undermine the credibility of ufologists.
And while psychologists and ufologists disagree on the reality of such claims, the theme of alien abduction has been revisited several times by filmmakers since the late 70s.
