Ghost Hunting

The study, carried out as part of Einstein Year, examined why visitors to the Close often experience unusual phenomena and involved 200 members of the public, a team of researchers from four academic institutions and sophisticated environmental monitoring equipment.

During the experiment, forty groups of five people were taken to one of four locations in the Close, and were asked to report any unusual phenomena they experienced.   Participants were unaware that only two of the locations had a strong reputation for being haunted.

Approximately 70% of people visiting the ‘haunted’ locations reported experiencing some type of unusual phenomena, compared to only 48% of those in the two ‘control’ locations. Although some of the reported experiences were relatively mild (e.g., a sudden feeling of cold), many were more significant, with participants reporting a sense of being watched, touched, having their clothing tugged, seeing apparitions of humans and animals, and hearing footsteps.

Professor Wiseman claimed that although some people may view the results as evidence for ghosts, the findings suggest that participants’ expectations, combined with subtle differences in the appearance and physical characteristics of the locations, may affect how anxious people feel when they enter the spaces and this may create unusual sensations.

Before participating, people were asked whether they expected to experience some unusual phenomena during the study.  70% of those with high expectations reported unusual experiences, compared to just 50% of those who entered the experiment with low expectations.

To read further results from the study see our press release.

The study was supported by NESTA (the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) through its Learning programme, which endeavours to find innovative ways of engaging the public in science.