Science Applied to Paranormal Investigating by Chris Chaos

"Science Applied to Paranormal Investigating"
by Chris Chaos

Too many of those involved in "Ghost Hunting" were inspired by the modern reality shows of the same topic. The viewers see how "exciting" the shows make it seem and how easy it is to obtain evidence with low end equipment. For the most part, the average person is using pseudo-scientific methods over the scientific approach. Again this is partly due in fact to the TV shows presenting misleading and false methods and accumulation of evidence for mere entertainment purposes.

When the amateur investigator "investigates" a location they usually enter the situation with a few preconceived notions (that the location is haunted) and go down the path of confirmation bias. This is, if they think a house is haunted they will only look for and pay attention to any evidence that is positive and ignore the negative evidence. Also known as "cherry picking" this confirmation bias produces misleading conclusions. Personal biases also affect the outcome due to the fact that the researcher will favor their own opinions and go stronger in an attempt to prove it. For an example, Orbs (usually dust) and E.V.P.s are favorites explanations of the beginner researchers to prove that a location is haunted.

Other such "tools" that are used by beginners are Ouija Boards and have been proven time and time again to have no more power than what the users give them. The Ideomotor Response/Effect refers to the influence of suggestion or expectation on involuntary and unconscious motor behavior.

Many of the amateurs are simply copying what they saw on the TV show and try to use the exact same tools and locations that was portrayed. Adding nothing in the way of investigating they allow the TV show's results to influence their own research method and once again cherry pick the acquired evidence to fit their needs.

Some watch a TV show or read a website and instantly become "masters of science" and feel that they can take common electronics or items marketed to amateur ghost hunters, go out into the field and find evidence of ghosts. This comes down to a misunderstanding of how the equipment operates and also of how science works. For an example some may use an E.M.F (Electro-Magnetic Field Meter) to see if there is ghostly activity, but it is flawed right off the bat when they are carrying other pieces of equipment that put off EMF signals such as cameras and other common electronic items in a house or building.

Others use thermal imagers or laser heat detectors and think that a change in temperature is the sign of a ghostly specter, not taking into account drafty windows, air conditioning, warm electrical equipment and other items in a location that could alter temperature. Laser grid pens have been renamed Ghost Laser Grid Pens and claim that if aimed in a dark room it will detect the presence of a ghost if one of the grids becomes broken. Many people are misled by these TV shows and popular movies portraying ghosts, not realizing that they are strictly for entertainment and usually not based in science.

As with any way to research and take care of a problem or to solve an issue, the Scientific Method should be followed.

SCIENTIFIC METHOD (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method):

PURPOSE
State the Problem

RESEARCH
Find out about the topic

HYPOTHESIS
Predict the outcome to the problem

EXPERIMENT
Develop a procedure to test the hypothesis

ANALYSIS
Record the results of the experiment

CONCLUSION
Compare the hypothesis to the experiments conclusion

REPLICATE
Make sure the experiment and results can be repeated by others

(Chris Chaos is a long time resident of South Jersey who once again resides in and writes from Gloucester City, New Jersey. He is a filmmaker, a business owner, writer, urban explorer and investigator of the odd and weird, a proud parent, happily taken and a connoisseur of hot wings. Chris can be reached at AxisVideo@aol.com)