session 2 of wiziq course on "introduction to scientific study of psychic phenomena"
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Ghosts, Poltergeists and Hauntings Research
Nancy L. Zingrone, PhD
www.theazire.orgThe AZIRE Learning Center in Second Life
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Madhupak/153/89/60
www.rhineeducationcenter.org The Rhine Research Center in Second Life:
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Madhupak/44/161/84
Tips for this Class …O Don’t forget to check your device
settings as soon as the class starts. Icons at the top right of the frame give you the option to get back in there and check.
O If I disappear, I’ve had a crash and will be logging on as fast as possible on another computer in my house. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE!
Plan of the course:O Today: Introduction to the Scientific
Study of Psychic PhenomenaO April 25th, 3pm Eastern: Ghosts,
Poltergeists and Hauntings ResearchO May 2nd, 3pm Eastern: Studying the
Out of Body and Near-Death Experiences
O May 9th, 3pm Eastern: Reincarnation Research in Scientific Parapsychology
What is a ghost? ….
What is a haunting? ….
What is a poltergeist? ….
Ghosts and Hauntings:O Ghost: a sense of presence that may
or may not include auditory, tactile or visual effects
O Haunting: a recurrent experience that may be reported by many observers over many years and that may or may not include an apparition and is place-centered
O Apparition: a visual representation of a person or persons, who may or may not be deceased at the time they appear
O Poltergeist: a recurrent, but of usually brief duration, that seems to be person-centered
Ghost & Hauntings Research
O Systematic compilation
O Systematic research
O Data gathering methods:
O Bibliographic research
O Case collection
O Field investigations
Bowser
Brown Lady of Rayhnam Hall
The guest of honor
Systematic compilationO Samuel Hibbert’s (1824/1825). Sketches of
the philosophy of apparitions, or an attempt to trace such illusions to their physical causes. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd.
O Sir Walter Scott (1843). The existence of evil spirits proved; and their agency, particularly in relation to the human race, explained. London: Jackson & Walford.
O Catherine Crowe (1848). Night-Side of Nature: On Ghosts and Ghost-Seers. New York: Redfield
Sources may be
O Local legends with or without other evidence
O Personal testimony with or without other evidence
O SingularO Collective at the
momentO Seemingly
collectiveO RecurrentO Different
witnessesO VeridicalO Inexplicable
Experiences may be
Systematic researchO Joseph Glanville (1668) Saducismus
Triumphantus Full and Plain Evidence Concerning Witches and Apparitions. London: James Collier
O Census of Hallucinations, Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, Volume 10, 1894
Case Collections
O Literary or bibliographical research
O Calls for cases
O Public calls
O Networked solicitation
O Embedded in other research such as surveys
O Singular
O Collective at the moment
O Seemingly collective
O Recurrent
O Different witnesses
O Veridical
O Inexplicable
Experiences may be
Field InvestigationsO On-site investigations of areas
reputed to be hauntedO HistoricalO PhotographicO Case Collections
O Spawned huge industry of local ghosts books
O May or may not use technology other than still or video cameras
The SPR ModelO Separate interviews with witnessesO Historical information at a deeper
levelO Floor plansO Attempts to communicateO Emphasis on:
O Independent corroborationOOf testimonyOOf historical detailOOf events
Morton, R.C. (1892) Report of a haunted house.O Rosina Clara Despard (1863-1930)
O Moved into St. Anne’s, then Garden Reach, in 1882 with her family, she was 19
O From 1882 to 1884, she encountered the ghost
O In 1886 while taking her preliminary scientific examination for medical school, she met Frederic Myers, was encouraged to write up her investigation
Primary facts 1:
• Rosina experienced personally
more than 6 sightings
• One sister saw the ghost, mistook her for a “Sister of Mercy”
• One housemaid mistook the ghost for an intruder
• Her 6 year old brother and another boy saw the ghost through a window and ran to find her
• Another sister passed the ghost on the stairs
• Footsteps heard by servants, family and visitors, 20 people in all
• Seen by the cook passing by the kitchen window in the daylight, walking through the garden
Primary facts 2:
• Father never had an experience
• Family recognized the ghost’s characteristic footsteps and stayed in their rooms
• A neighbor mistook the ghost for Rosina’s sister
• Collective sightings were frequent
• One sequential as the ghost walked out of the house and through the garden to the street
Primary facts 3:
• Seen in daylight, and darkness
• Seen in the upstairs hallway, on staircase, in drawing room, in the garden, on the road to the orchard, coming up the kitchen steps
• Also reports of bumps into bedroom doors, doorknobs turning with no one visible
• Attempts to photograph her failed
• Attempts to engage her in conversation failed
Field investigation today
O Ghost huntersO Teams of amateursO Teams with some trainingO Websites with case reportsO Websites with case “stories”
O Scientific literatureO Detailed case reportsO Alternate explanations: field effects,
infrasound, suggestionO Experiments
Poltergeist Research
O Case compilations
O Field investigation
O Psychological investigation / intervention with so-called “focus person” or “agents”
Poltergeists …
O Reports from antiquity / from every culture
O Frequent focus on adolescent in home as “focus person” or “agent”
O Important to rule out fraud
O Important to make careful observations of events, position of all individuals when events occur
Poltergeists …O Noisy spirits,
targeting an individual
O Short duration
O Frequently dangerous
O Cease naturally, through moving, changes in family situation
O Psychokinetic outburst of the ‘focus person’
O Short duration
O Frequently dangerous
O Ceases naturally or when “stressors” on the focus person are lessened or removed
Tony Cornell(1924-2010)
Retrieved from mobygames.com
Carrying on the SPR tradition with a twist …
O Healthy skepticism but openness to experience
O Detailed observations
O Development of technology
O Corroboration:
O Witness testimony
O Independent evidence
O Consciousness of alternative explanations
O Willingness to help experiencers
O Detailed reports
O 30+ events
O No “focus person” identified conclusively
O All breakage confined to goods purchased from a specific estate sale
The Antique Shop Spuk
Bill Roll(1926-2012)
Retrieved from pflyceum.org
Retrieved from goodreads.com
The Miami Poltergeist
O More than 200 incidents of movement/breakage of objects
O Measurement of trajectory/condition
O Julio Vasquez identified as focal person
The Take Away Message
O Educating yourself on field investigation requiresO Good resources
O BooksO VideosO Apprenticeships, internships, and courses
O Conducting credible field investigations requiresO Attention to detailO Good case data retention methodsO Good analysis of the data
O Contributing to the scientific understanding of the phenomena requiresO Willingness to share dataO PublicationsO Contributions to serious social media networks/groups
1998, University of Texas Press
1992, Prism Press
1984, Prometheus Press
1848, T.C. NewbyCovers retrieved from
amazon.com
1979, Routledge, Kegan, Paul
1982, Heinemann
1963, University Books
2002, John MurrayCovers retrieved from amazon.com
Names to search for on YouTube, Google &
Amazon:O Tony CornellO Loyd AuerbachO Stacy HornO William G. Roll
Using the Courseware page:
Using the Course Feed:
Assignment:O Tell your own ghost story in the
Course Feed discussionO Give a link to a favorite YouTube
video on ghosts and hauntingsO Write a paragraph about your
favorite movie, TV show or video on ghosts, hauntings and poltergeists
O Ask questions & comment!
Thanks for your Attention! See you next week!
email: nancy@theazire.org
www.theazire.orgThe AZIRE Learning Center in Second Life
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Madhupak/153/89/60
www.rhineeducationcenter.org The Rhine Research Center in Second Life:
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Madhupak/44/161/84
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