Psychological studies reveal how personality, media and cultural narratives shape our fascination with spirits.
Photo by Jackson Simmer on Unsplash
Many of us have encountered the eerie and unexplainable: a shadow moving in an empty room, a whisper in the dark, or a feeling of being watched when no one’s there.
Despite everyone having a smart phone at hand capable of capturing high-quality images, no one has yet produced definitive photographic evidence of a ghost. Yet there’s no doubt people from all walks of life have reported experiences that defy conventional explanation. In a 2021 poll of 1,000 U.S. adults, over 40% of respondents said they believe in ghosts, and 20% claimed to have seen one. That adds up to over 50 million supernatural experiences — scary stuff.
Recent studies have explored various aspects of belief in ghosts and the paranormal, examining psychological factors that make people more likely to believe in supernatural phenomena.
Do we want to believe?
A study in Psychology of Popular Media found that watching reality-based horror shows can open minds to the paranormal. Researchers reported that frequent watching of “real-world” content — such as ghost hunting shows — contributes to a stronger belief in ghosts and spirits.
Interestingly, this effect was tenuous when fictional stories were viewed, suggesting people are more influenced by content they see as based on true events. The more we’re exposed to content we think has credibility, the more likely we are to echo The X-Files’ Agent Fox Mulder: we want to believe.
Shaping paranormal belief
Other research shows that certain personality traits, such as extraversion and neuroticism, are linked to stronger acceptance of the supernatural. People who rely on intuitive thinking rather than analytical reasoning are also more likely to consider paranormal phenomena.
For example, what looks like a ghostly figure or floating orb in a photo is often just an insect or speck of dust reflecting light. These everyday occurrences can easily be misinterpreted as supernatural, especially by those already open to such beliefs.
Why we share the scare
Ghost stories and paranormal beliefs have endured over time, passed down through folklore to explain the unknown and connect generations through shared tales of the supernatural. Social psychologists study the persistence of these beliefs across cultures and research shows that ghost stories — often tied to personal or cultural experiences — are popular because they help people cope with mortality and the unknown, reinforcing these beliefs even among skeptics.
Science is still exploring the psychological and cognitive factors that influence our fascination with the supernatural, revealing the complexity of how we perceive and believe in these phenomena.
Whether shaped by personality, culture, or a need to understand the unknown, ghost stories continue to captivate us. As research progresses, we may gain additional insight into why some people believe in ghosts and other don’t. Until then, the mystery of the supernatural persists, reflecting our own minds and the stories we choose to believe.
So the next time you hear something go bump in the night, just remember — science says it’s probably not a ghost. But just in case, maybe leave a light on. 👻
Sources:
Are Ghosts Real? A Social Psychologist examines the Evidence, published October 25, 2023 in The Conversation, authored by Barry Markovsky.
The study, I See Dead People: Exploring the associations between watching horror and belief in the paranormal, published 2023 in Psychology of Popular Media, authored by Femke Geusens.
