The Psychology in Parapsychology

This merely skims the surface in this category, but points out the major areas.

The Power of Suggestion, Pattern Recognition, Acceptance from Peers, Over-reaction, and WANTING...All these play a major role and are often used by the unscrupulous, misinformed, or inexperienced ghost hunter.

That is why it is most important to keep yourself as open minded as humanly possible when hunting or investigating in groups. Follow your own instincts or feelings.

All too often I have seen groups at the Reformatory, and one person will say they're getting an impression or a feeling, and one or more of the group will quickly agree...they can't follow up on it, but by George they're feeling it...

This could very well be nothing more than the tingly feeling of an unexpected surprise or adrenaline rush of the anticipation of having an encounter. If they cannot get any immediate impressions of these feelings, then it can only be the power of suggestion.

Some folks are just more susceptible to the power of suggestion than others. These are the ones who fall prey to the night-club hypnotist, or roadside palm reader. They will visit a place with a reputation for being haunted, and fall into the trap of, "Well, since we were here to hunt for ghosts in the first place, then that's what it has to be."

I have to admit, there have been times at the Reformatory where I would suggest a claim of a feeling just to get the reaction of the group I was traveling with...a smell, or the idea of a smell would take the group en masse. Next thing you know, they were out on the front porch telling their experience to others, and the new group would hurry in to experience it, also to come back with tales of their own. Only group B would "one-up" the first group with an added feature of a sighting or a door slamming.

Over-reaction stems from the absolute need to have an encounter, while not

having an understanding or knowledge of naturally occurring phenomena, such as lighting, camera optics, or acoustics, therefore they become the one with a reputation for always encountering "something". Even though that "something" can have an explanation, they just don't want to hear it. Over dramatizing trivial situations such as another person's flashlight in another room, or car headlights in the window can cause a person to fly into near pseudo-hysterics to gain attention to themselves, the admiration of others, or to save face so to speak.

One of the dominant spirits at the old Mansfield Reformatory is a woman. I have had many encounters with her, from smelling her perfume, to her holding my hand, and I even got a peck on the cheek once. Her and I had become "friends".

Since relating my encounters with her, many more people have come forward with their own claims of a simpatico or having some spiritual connection to her. They feel they were drawn to to the prison for the sole purpose of helping her, not knowing this before hand though. It could be sympathy they feel for her, and they might want to try to help her, but hardly a spiritual connection. Seems these people only realize "their purpose" after hearing about her.

I'm not trying to say that everyone who makes these claims are nuts, they may very well have their own encounters at one point or another, but it just seems odd to me that they don't relate until someone else does, then it snowballs from there..."Yeah! Me too!!"

This would fall under the Acceptance of Peers category...no one wants to be left out.

Pattern Recognition or Pareidolia, is a type of illusion involving a vague stimulus being perceived as something clear and distinct. For example, seeing the face of Jesus in a potato chip will bring a pilgrimage to your house by a thousand other people wanting their diseases cured or prayers answered.

The most common type of misperception in ghost hunting, is seeing faces in everything, and jumping to the conclusion that the face seen in the carpet is that of an occupying spirit, and not the pattern in the pile.

I have received many, many photos with "faces" circled in drapery and upholstery patterns.

These may stand out more due to the flash angle of the camera, but upon closer examination of the whole photo, there was a dozen more "faces" found. No private residence will be that occupied outside of the movies.

The biggest mistake when seeing "faces in orbs", is the inability to recognize dust on the lens, and the need to want to see something.

The familiar trait of a few darker areas immediately have a person recognizing it as a face, and since they were there to hunt ghosts in the first place, then it is naturally assumed that they got a good one.

"Faces" or what some call a "Nuclei" in "orbs" is in fact nothing more than a speck of dust on the lens of the camera or airborne a few inches from the flash. As miniscule as it is, it will show up on the photo as being gigantic with great detail.

This can be compared to those annoying occasions when you get an "eyeball floater". That microscopic airborne particle appears to be the size of a rope when it passes over your lens...and, if you've ever really paid attention to it, you can make out details if the light is just right.

Under clinical circumstances, some psychologists actually encourage pattern recognition as a way to further understand their patients. The most common means of this procedure is the Rorschach Test or commonly known as The Ink Blot Test.

Carl Sagan said that he believes the human tendency to see faces in trees, clouds, plaster, potato chips, or what have you, is an evolutionary trait. He wrote:

               "As soon as the infant can see, it recognizes faces,

               and we now know that this skill is hardwired in

               our brains. Those infants who a million years ago

               were unable to recognize a face smiled back less,

               were less likely to win the hearts of their parents,

               and less likely to prosper. These days, nearly every

               infant is quick to identify a human face, and to

               respond with a goofy grin."

 Most people recognize illusions for what they really are, but some become so fixated on the reality of their perception, that they turn an illusion into a delusion.

~"I reject your reality, and substitute my own"~ Adam Savage, of Mythbusters.

Some actually live in their own minds, and live by the personal credo, "I just know what I know."...which 9 times out of 10 are highly inaccurate. They want their own realities to be actual reality. They may "see" things in their own perspective, which they now feel is very real. Now they've convinced themselves of a "Super-Human" psychic ability. They'll be the ones in a "group" that will point the way to the best dust "orbs". The rest of the "group" now reveres them and touts them on various websites as "a very gifted psychic". The Ego swells from there, and they can't possibly be called wrong...*gasp*

There is a medicine cabinet in one of the bathrooms at the Reformatory, that has a rust pattern on it so perfectly accidental, that we've named it "The Iconal Rust Spot."

Granted, at first glance it makes you jump back, but it's just rust.

Many people have come running down from the bathroom because they "saw somebody", and when they returned the "somebody" was gone. Well, another person had seen the Iconal Rust Spot afterwards and closed the cabinet door...hence, the "person" vanished from view of the hallway.

There have been many descriptions of the Iconal Rust Spot from Jesus to Richard Pryor to a deceased relative. Personally I think it looks like Abby Hoffman, but I don't think Abby did any time at Mansy...

Just try to keep a cool head. You're out to find answers, not take everything  at "face" value...

"The Iconal Rust Spot"...Who do you see?

There is also a window down in Solitary Confinement. I've received a few photos of it as well. "We felt something down there, and this showed up!"

Well, I inspected the window for myself and sure enough, a "face" will appear in a photo...

Unfortunately, its bird droppings on the outside.

Wanting is the biggest mistake going around in the Ghost Hunting Community these days. The Internet has filled many many heads with false information, false conceptions, and false hopes and pre-conceived notions. Not to say the Internet is the only guilty party, there are a new crop of "paranormal" TV shows that have jumped on the suddenly "trendy" bandwagon, and are also a major contributor to the mass hype. Innocent victims of these parasites are drawn in by the "excitement" and "drama" and "thrill" of these garbage heaps, and think that Ghost Hunting is "Sooooo cool!", and its as easy as the media portrays it. They get caught up in the web of deception, and go running out to their local Urban Legend spot or Cemetery with trusty Digital Camera in hand, and just because the TV show said so, they now have a vast collection of "orbs" or "ecto" or an occasional "vortex". Do these new "experts" actually have the capabilities or knowledge to accurately analyze their "trophies"? No, they don't...Their only references are the TV shows and others of their own enthusiasm. They will defend to the death their "evidence", because they want it to be a ghost, and since that was their main objective of the evening, they've convinced themselves they were successful...Why?...Pre-Conceived Notions. They "heard" a place was "haunted" from generations of campfire stories. 

Wanting is all well and good, its part of the human "Id" but the great reality is, the "Ego" gets in the way. You can't always get what you want in the form you want it.

These TV shows should display a disclaimer before each episode:

"For Entertainment Purposes Only!!!...Not To Be Taken Seriously or Used for Educational Material."

~~~copyright 2004, revised 2006 Dr. Ken

None of this material may be used without
the written consent of Dr. Ken