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The Conversation ·For the curious

Is My Brain Wired to Never See a Ghost? A Psychologist on Three Factors That Make a Paranormal Experience More Likely

by Melissa Maffeo, Teaching Professor of Psychology, Wake Forest University

Published 2026-05-28 12:43:35+00:00

What makes a brain turn a strange sensation into a ghost sighting?

0:00 / 9:32 · Narrator Sulafat

Context

This piece, published in late May, explores the curious phenomenon of ghost sightings, shifting the focus from whether they exist to *why* people experience them. A psychologist investigates how environmental factors, neurological quirks, and certain personality traits can converge to create what feels like a paranormal encounter. It asks what happens when the brain misinterprets the world around it, suggesting the sensation of a ghost might be a perfectly ordinary, if unusual, mental event. The article offers a grounded perspective on why some individuals might be more prone to these perceptions.

Show notes

A psychologist's analysis of why some individuals are more prone to perceiving paranormal experiences, such as ghosts. The article identifies three contributing factors: environmental stimuli, neurological phenomena like sleep paralysis, and specific personality traits. It posits that the convergence of these elements, particularly when combined with belief, can create the sensation of a supernatural event.

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