People are fascinated by the uncertain, the enigmatic, the mysterious, or things that have no clear explanation. According to psychology, belief in the paranormal or ghosts may stem from the illusory perception of cause-and-effect relationships.
In other words, believing in ghosts arises from a variety of reasons ranging from cultural to psychological: personal experiences, cultural influences, perception, and the need to explain the unexplainable.
Interestingly, people don’t seem to believe in ghosts as they do in real objects—like a table, a chair, everyday life, money, or even status. Instead, they believe in them as a way to make sense of those inexplicable events: the stares that come from nowhere, objects falling or moving on their own.
Read also: Does Alexa Talk to Ghosts? This Terrifying Story Could be Proof that She Does
The belief in ghosts is a curious thing. Despite the lack of proof supporting their existence, ghosts have haunted humanity wherever people have settled on this planet.
Believing in Ghosts Has a Scientific Explanation
In 2020, a YouGov survey revealed that 46 percent of Americans believed in ghosts, while a 2021 poll showed that 20 percent had a personal encounter with a spirit. But is any of this real?
According to the University of Deusto, one possible explanation is that people have cognitive biases. Cognitive biases are shortcuts our minds take to solve daily problems without us realizing it. Like certain beliefs, they can appear in the entire population as a consequence of our evolution as a species.
However, Chris French, an emeritus professor from the Anomalistic Research Unit at Goldsmiths, suggests that it’s because our brains are wired to stay constantly alert for potential threats. When something happens around us, we instinctively think someone or something with intent made it happen.
This is where causal illusions come in—the illusory perception of a cause-and-effect relationship where there are only coincidences. For example, a student might think wearing red brings them good luck during exams, simply because they once got good grades while wearing a red shirt. Causal illusions like this could be the root of superstitions and other beliefs, including those about the paranormal or ghosts.
Not Just Cognitive, But Emotional Biases Too
There are also emotional reasons behind these beliefs. Some people believe in ghosts and the afterlife as part of a larger worldview, especially when it comes to death or the loss of loved ones. The idea that we somehow “continue on” after physical death can be a powerful source of comfort for many.
Without a doubt, the human mind is designed to seek patterns and meanings, sometimes seeing or feeling things that aren’t really there due to pareidolia, illusions, or intense emotional states. What do you think?
This article was originally written in Spanish by Perla Vallejo in Ecoosfera.
