RESEARCHING THE NATURAL
By Jeff Fausch
Xenonormal
As a researcher, I have always tried to separate the natural from the supernatural. I will always look for a normal explanation before putting an unexplained tag to it. I have found that there is an official title for the study of the normal that appear anomalous. I was looking at the ASSAP "Association for Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena" website and found the term "Xenonormal". The Xenonormal is a term used when certain circumstances resemble the paranormal, even though they are not. In other words, unfamiliar but natural. In many cases, witnesses to paranormal events are not familiar with a natural event.
Xenonormal not only covers exotic events but common ones as well. As an example, if someone hears a noise in a house that they can't explain, they may report it as a paranormal occurrence but a plumber would know straight away that it was a plumbing problem with pipes in the wall.
It is very important for any paranormal researcher to have a good knowledge of the Xenonormal other wise they would spend all their time investigating the normal.
Here are some of the reasons why people may report paranormal phenomena:
UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE PHENOMENA OBSERVED:
People are surrounded by a complex environment but tend to only pay attention to the things that are important in their own lives and have little idea how nature or their surroundings work. Many people tend to only notice things when the unexpected happens. When people face the unexpected or the unfamiliar, it can make many people feel anxious. This could make people think, if it sounds unusual or unnatural, it must be paranormal. When some people become anxious and hear or experience the unfamiliar, this could affect their perception, making them very jumpy even to the most mundane things. As an example, moving into a new house that is not familiar to them could cause their stress levels to increase, making them more likely to misinterpret things around them.
THE FAMILIAR DOING STRANGE THINGS:
The familiar can also play tricks on people. If someone thinks they know something this can lead to definite expectations, in other words people expecting things to act in a certain way. So when familiar things do something unexpected, this can lead to an Xenonormal event. As an example, a girl is walking down a local street and she is noticed by another person's peripheral vision, then suddenly the girl disappears. Was it a ghost? In reality, the girl slipped down a narrow lane-way but because the the other person wasn't watching closely, the girl just disappeared. The perception was that the girl should have kept walking down the street but that perception did not take place, leaving the person to think something strange had just taken place.
Expectation is an important factor with a Xenonormal experience - if something happens that was not expected, it could lead a feeling of something strange or even paranormal had taken place.
CULTURAL AFFECT:
Nearly everyone has an idea what they think a ghost is and what it is supposed to do. Who hasn't been brought up with or heard ghost stories, they are in our literature, movies, cartoons, television, media etc.? The media is full of images of ghosts, haunted buildings, UFOs, aliens etc. This is why, when a light is seen in the sky, it is interpreted as an alien craft. Or when a strange noise is heard in a old house, it is perceived as a ghost. The reality ghost hunting shows have amplified these cultural believes by bringing them to everyone's lounge room. Today the talk is that orbs are connected to a haunting, in the distant past such spheres were called fairies at the bottom of the garden. It is all to do with the cultural believes of the day to what we see.
OVER CONCENTRATION ON DETAIL:
Another area to look at is reading too much into the available data. As an example, people sometimes see faces or figures in photos when they are in fact random background detail. Often the same picture taken at a different resolution or at a slightly different angle will dispel the illusion. In some EVP clips containing apparent voices with white noise or static in the background, the voices can be altered or be removed all together when the white noise or static is removed or altered. Both these cases are an over concentration on small details at the expense of the overall data.
Another aspect of over concentration is over processing data. Some software designed to enhance images or sounds can actually alter them. In some cases data can be altered so much that it becomes completely distorted. The data then is no longer an accurate record of the event but artificial patterns invented by the software itself.
LACKING BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
It is a scientific fact that no event happens in isolation - there will always be background to it, although most people would not notice it. The background includes the basic things such as time, space, environmental, people, animals, noises, odours etc...It could also include other things that were happening at the same time. It is quite common when people report paranormal phenomena, they often don't notice these background details. Such details could be vital to understanding what actually took place.
As an example, a person reports hearing a noise that is interpreted as a ghostly noise but failed to notice it only happened when the wind came from a particular direction, hitting the corner of the house. Such clues would provide a natural explanation for the strange sound. In many cases, relevant data is ignored because it is not prevalent to how the phenomena is perceived by the witness.
COINCIDENCE:
Many reports of paranormal phenomena, when investigated properly, are found to involve many likely factors coming together; "a coincidence". A coincidence shares two factors, they are rare and they are usually are onetime events.
As an example, a person is walking through a cemetery taking photos. Within minutes, they photograph a number of bright orbs over a gravestone. The person is very excited, thinking they captured something paranormal. But in reality it was all a coincidence...The person took very little notice of the surroundings as they were focused on photographing a ghost. What actually took place were a number of natural events at the same time. The person was walking through a dusty cemetery, kicking up dust while walking. Stopping to take a photo of a gravestone at the same time a gust of wind blew up - as the photo was taken, dust was blowing across the gravestone. As a result the photo is full of orbs. The orbs were actually dust particles blown up by the gust of wind. The person might say "But the orbs are only in one photo!" but that would because the environmental situation had changed; the gust of wind only blew up for a few seconds as the photo was being taken blowing the dust towards the camera. What this example shows is a number of natural factors coming together at the same time, having created what would be perceived as orbs being photographed above a gravestone but it was actually just a "coincidence" of natural events that occurred at the same time.
THE BRAIN NEEDS A LOGICAL EXPLANATION:
The human brain has a natural urge to look for a logical explanation. This occurs at the sub-conscious level so a logical explanation, image or memory (sometimes not rational) is presented to the conscious mind. With misperception, a badly seen object that is not recognized may be substituted with another from a memory to make it logical. The memory of a poorly recalled incident may be changed into memories that never took place, to make it logical to the conscious mind. In both these cases, the brain presents the images or memories as "fact" so the events actually appeared to have happened. Also, what can happen in both cases, the elements added from the memory may include fictional sources of paranormal activity (e.g. horror movies, reality paranormal shows, books etc). The way the brain works could explain the existence of the Xenonormal.
(References: ASSAP website)
Xenonormal not only covers exotic events but common ones as well. As an example, if someone hears a noise in a house that they can't explain, they may report it as a paranormal occurrence but a plumber would know straight away that it was a plumbing problem with pipes in the wall.
It is very important for any paranormal researcher to have a good knowledge of the Xenonormal other wise they would spend all their time investigating the normal.
Here are some of the reasons why people may report paranormal phenomena:
UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE PHENOMENA OBSERVED:
People are surrounded by a complex environment but tend to only pay attention to the things that are important in their own lives and have little idea how nature or their surroundings work. Many people tend to only notice things when the unexpected happens. When people face the unexpected or the unfamiliar, it can make many people feel anxious. This could make people think, if it sounds unusual or unnatural, it must be paranormal. When some people become anxious and hear or experience the unfamiliar, this could affect their perception, making them very jumpy even to the most mundane things. As an example, moving into a new house that is not familiar to them could cause their stress levels to increase, making them more likely to misinterpret things around them.
THE FAMILIAR DOING STRANGE THINGS:
The familiar can also play tricks on people. If someone thinks they know something this can lead to definite expectations, in other words people expecting things to act in a certain way. So when familiar things do something unexpected, this can lead to an Xenonormal event. As an example, a girl is walking down a local street and she is noticed by another person's peripheral vision, then suddenly the girl disappears. Was it a ghost? In reality, the girl slipped down a narrow lane-way but because the the other person wasn't watching closely, the girl just disappeared. The perception was that the girl should have kept walking down the street but that perception did not take place, leaving the person to think something strange had just taken place.
Expectation is an important factor with a Xenonormal experience - if something happens that was not expected, it could lead a feeling of something strange or even paranormal had taken place.
CULTURAL AFFECT:
Nearly everyone has an idea what they think a ghost is and what it is supposed to do. Who hasn't been brought up with or heard ghost stories, they are in our literature, movies, cartoons, television, media etc.? The media is full of images of ghosts, haunted buildings, UFOs, aliens etc. This is why, when a light is seen in the sky, it is interpreted as an alien craft. Or when a strange noise is heard in a old house, it is perceived as a ghost. The reality ghost hunting shows have amplified these cultural believes by bringing them to everyone's lounge room. Today the talk is that orbs are connected to a haunting, in the distant past such spheres were called fairies at the bottom of the garden. It is all to do with the cultural believes of the day to what we see.
OVER CONCENTRATION ON DETAIL:
Another area to look at is reading too much into the available data. As an example, people sometimes see faces or figures in photos when they are in fact random background detail. Often the same picture taken at a different resolution or at a slightly different angle will dispel the illusion. In some EVP clips containing apparent voices with white noise or static in the background, the voices can be altered or be removed all together when the white noise or static is removed or altered. Both these cases are an over concentration on small details at the expense of the overall data.
Another aspect of over concentration is over processing data. Some software designed to enhance images or sounds can actually alter them. In some cases data can be altered so much that it becomes completely distorted. The data then is no longer an accurate record of the event but artificial patterns invented by the software itself.
LACKING BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
It is a scientific fact that no event happens in isolation - there will always be background to it, although most people would not notice it. The background includes the basic things such as time, space, environmental, people, animals, noises, odours etc...It could also include other things that were happening at the same time. It is quite common when people report paranormal phenomena, they often don't notice these background details. Such details could be vital to understanding what actually took place.
As an example, a person reports hearing a noise that is interpreted as a ghostly noise but failed to notice it only happened when the wind came from a particular direction, hitting the corner of the house. Such clues would provide a natural explanation for the strange sound. In many cases, relevant data is ignored because it is not prevalent to how the phenomena is perceived by the witness.
COINCIDENCE:
Many reports of paranormal phenomena, when investigated properly, are found to involve many likely factors coming together; "a coincidence". A coincidence shares two factors, they are rare and they are usually are onetime events.
As an example, a person is walking through a cemetery taking photos. Within minutes, they photograph a number of bright orbs over a gravestone. The person is very excited, thinking they captured something paranormal. But in reality it was all a coincidence...The person took very little notice of the surroundings as they were focused on photographing a ghost. What actually took place were a number of natural events at the same time. The person was walking through a dusty cemetery, kicking up dust while walking. Stopping to take a photo of a gravestone at the same time a gust of wind blew up - as the photo was taken, dust was blowing across the gravestone. As a result the photo is full of orbs. The orbs were actually dust particles blown up by the gust of wind. The person might say "But the orbs are only in one photo!" but that would because the environmental situation had changed; the gust of wind only blew up for a few seconds as the photo was being taken blowing the dust towards the camera. What this example shows is a number of natural factors coming together at the same time, having created what would be perceived as orbs being photographed above a gravestone but it was actually just a "coincidence" of natural events that occurred at the same time.
THE BRAIN NEEDS A LOGICAL EXPLANATION:
The human brain has a natural urge to look for a logical explanation. This occurs at the sub-conscious level so a logical explanation, image or memory (sometimes not rational) is presented to the conscious mind. With misperception, a badly seen object that is not recognized may be substituted with another from a memory to make it logical. The memory of a poorly recalled incident may be changed into memories that never took place, to make it logical to the conscious mind. In both these cases, the brain presents the images or memories as "fact" so the events actually appeared to have happened. Also, what can happen in both cases, the elements added from the memory may include fictional sources of paranormal activity (e.g. horror movies, reality paranormal shows, books etc). The way the brain works could explain the existence of the Xenonormal.
(References: ASSAP website)
The New House Effect
On the ASSAP website they talk about the "New House Effect". This is when people report paranormal phenomena after moving into a new house or after completing renovations to an existing house.
When people move into a new house, it can feel a little strange; they might wake up in the middle of the night, not quite knowing where they are. They might experience knocking, creaking or rattles that might catch their attention. Strange shadows on the wall in the bedroom that appear unfamiliar or even a bit sinister. This is called the "New House Effect". Until people get used to their new home, certain sights, sounds and smells can appear a little disturbing, particularly at night, when sounds appear to magnify themselves. Certain sounds may even give the impression that someone may be in the house.
Some people report a haunting when they first move into their new home, despite the previous owner having no problems. Sometimes visitors to a home will report strange going-ons that the owner never noticed. That is because the owners are used to all the sounds the house may produce.
SOUNDS:
The most common phenomena reported in buildings are sounds. Many of the sounds appear to come from areas that can't be seen; behind or in wall cavities, under floors, in ceiling etc. To the occupant, these sounds may be difficult to explain. But usually there are natural explanations for most sounds, such as metal pipes knocking or vibrating, metal objects making sounds as they contract while cooling down at the end of the day, floor boards that creak as people walk across them, doors can even open and close on their own if they are not secured properly. On windy days, windows can rattle and tree branches can rub or knock on wall, roofs even doors. Wind in chimneys can often make whistling or groaning sounds. Loose objects can bang or rattle against walls.
SEEING THINGS:
It is less common for people see things that mystify new home owners. This is because it is easier to investigate and explain away what can be seen. But there still can be the unfamiliar shadows and lights that seem strange in the middle of the night. Headlights from vehicles from a road outside the house can send strange pools or flickers of light or reflections across ceiling and walls. Trees or other objects outside the house may produce strange shadows with the help of external lights (e.g. streetlights) and appear to move if it is a windy night.
THE SPOOKY EFFECT:
When some people first notice unusual sounds or see shadows in their new house, they put it down to to the house just settling but the more they focus on the sounds or shadows, the more sinister they become until the person assumes it must be paranormal. Then every sound becomes paranormal. Anything that goes missing must be caused by a ghost, any malfunctioning appliance becomes suspicious. Unusual pet behaviour is linked to a ghost. All the little incidents that in other circumstances would be ignored become evidence of a haunting.
RENOVATIONS:
The "new house effect" can happen during or after renovations have been completed. There could be new plumbing, windows, ceilings, walls or any number of new additions to the home. Any of these could be capable of producing odd or strange sounds. It is very possible that during or after a renovations there could be all sorts of new sounds and some of the old familiar sounds disappear. Even if people have been living in the same house for many years they might notice strange sounds that will give the impression of paranormal phenomena taking place. This could also explain why there are a number ghosts reported during or after renovations have taken place.
INVESTIGATING AND THE NEW HOUSE EFFECT:
When an investigation is conducted at an allegedly haunted house for the first time, the team will be subject to the "new house effect". Since they don't know what normal moans, groans, creaks, bangs or any other strange sounds, they may appear to be paranormal phenomena to the investigators. One way to solve this problem is to go back to the location a number of times this will help eliminate the natural sounds and sights of that particular house. It will also help to set up a base line for the instrumentation being used. If it is not possible to return to the house, it is advisable to bring someone who is familiar to the house in an advisory roll - they should be able to identify most of the natural sounds and sights. It is quite common when a house is investigated repeatedly; investigations never seem as active as the first one. It may also be observed that new people brought into an investigation will report most anomalous phenomena. This is the "new house effect"
References: ASSAP website
When people move into a new house, it can feel a little strange; they might wake up in the middle of the night, not quite knowing where they are. They might experience knocking, creaking or rattles that might catch their attention. Strange shadows on the wall in the bedroom that appear unfamiliar or even a bit sinister. This is called the "New House Effect". Until people get used to their new home, certain sights, sounds and smells can appear a little disturbing, particularly at night, when sounds appear to magnify themselves. Certain sounds may even give the impression that someone may be in the house.
Some people report a haunting when they first move into their new home, despite the previous owner having no problems. Sometimes visitors to a home will report strange going-ons that the owner never noticed. That is because the owners are used to all the sounds the house may produce.
SOUNDS:
The most common phenomena reported in buildings are sounds. Many of the sounds appear to come from areas that can't be seen; behind or in wall cavities, under floors, in ceiling etc. To the occupant, these sounds may be difficult to explain. But usually there are natural explanations for most sounds, such as metal pipes knocking or vibrating, metal objects making sounds as they contract while cooling down at the end of the day, floor boards that creak as people walk across them, doors can even open and close on their own if they are not secured properly. On windy days, windows can rattle and tree branches can rub or knock on wall, roofs even doors. Wind in chimneys can often make whistling or groaning sounds. Loose objects can bang or rattle against walls.
SEEING THINGS:
It is less common for people see things that mystify new home owners. This is because it is easier to investigate and explain away what can be seen. But there still can be the unfamiliar shadows and lights that seem strange in the middle of the night. Headlights from vehicles from a road outside the house can send strange pools or flickers of light or reflections across ceiling and walls. Trees or other objects outside the house may produce strange shadows with the help of external lights (e.g. streetlights) and appear to move if it is a windy night.
THE SPOOKY EFFECT:
When some people first notice unusual sounds or see shadows in their new house, they put it down to to the house just settling but the more they focus on the sounds or shadows, the more sinister they become until the person assumes it must be paranormal. Then every sound becomes paranormal. Anything that goes missing must be caused by a ghost, any malfunctioning appliance becomes suspicious. Unusual pet behaviour is linked to a ghost. All the little incidents that in other circumstances would be ignored become evidence of a haunting.
RENOVATIONS:
The "new house effect" can happen during or after renovations have been completed. There could be new plumbing, windows, ceilings, walls or any number of new additions to the home. Any of these could be capable of producing odd or strange sounds. It is very possible that during or after a renovations there could be all sorts of new sounds and some of the old familiar sounds disappear. Even if people have been living in the same house for many years they might notice strange sounds that will give the impression of paranormal phenomena taking place. This could also explain why there are a number ghosts reported during or after renovations have taken place.
INVESTIGATING AND THE NEW HOUSE EFFECT:
When an investigation is conducted at an allegedly haunted house for the first time, the team will be subject to the "new house effect". Since they don't know what normal moans, groans, creaks, bangs or any other strange sounds, they may appear to be paranormal phenomena to the investigators. One way to solve this problem is to go back to the location a number of times this will help eliminate the natural sounds and sights of that particular house. It will also help to set up a base line for the instrumentation being used. If it is not possible to return to the house, it is advisable to bring someone who is familiar to the house in an advisory roll - they should be able to identify most of the natural sounds and sights. It is quite common when a house is investigated repeatedly; investigations never seem as active as the first one. It may also be observed that new people brought into an investigation will report most anomalous phenomena. This is the "new house effect"
References: ASSAP website
What to look for....
You are investigating an old house that is alleged to be haunted. A door slams in front of you. Do you conclude that the door slamming shut is a paranormal event or was is it just a passing draft from an open window? This is the dilemma a investigator must deal with. The investigator will have to investigate the door and surrounding area in an attempt to understand what took place. Understanding natural forces and eliminating them will make it easier to identify paranormal phenomena. A good investigator will always look for the natural before assuming the supernatural.
Here are just a few examples of things to look for before assuming the paranormal.
HOME OR BUILDING:
Outside noises:
* Check in and around the building for anything that could fall or crash to the ground.
* Anything that could be leaning against walls.
* Check for windows and doors that vibrate or rattle.
* Check for loose guttering, tiles or roof sheeting.
* Check for low hanging branches that may bang or rub against walls, windows, roofs, doors and fences.
Inside noises:
* Check for faulty/old plumbing/water pipes that could vibrate and rattle in walls, under floors or in roof.
* Check for faulty toilet systems (can be noisy) and faulty hot water systems (could vibrate or rattle).
* Heavy vehicles, trains, jets etc. could cause china/crockery to vibrate, furniture to shake, mirrors to vibrate
or rattle and loose objects to move or rattle.
* Check for venation blinds, roll-up blinds, vertical drapes which in the wind can blow causing
banging, scraping or entangle loose objects and throw them banging to the floor.
* Check for animal infestation such as rats, mice, possums etc. These animals can make a lot of noise in the
roof space, between walls, and under the floor especially at night.
* Pets such as cats, birds, rats or any other active pets can easily jump up on cupboards, tables,
bookshelves etc and tip over china/crockery, books etc making lots of noise.
* Check for hoaxers and pranksters even thieves that could have been on the property.
Electronic equipment / lighting:
* Faulty or failing electronic circuits within the television, stereo, CD player, DVD players/recorders that could
turn "OFF" or "ON" the device.
* Someone might have programmed the ON/OFF/channel schedule on the appliance without informing
others.
*External remote control receivers affecting appliances, this could cause televisions, radios, stereo, garage
doors etc. to turn "ON or "OFF", change channels and open or close garage doors. There could be
pranksters or a neighbour with the same frequency remote control.
* If lights flicker, check for faulty/old wiring or faulty sockets.
* Check that power points are not faulty, as they can affect appliances plugged into them.
Doors opening and closing on their own:
*Pressure or vacuum affect. When a house or building is well sealed from drafts or heat intrusion or when
there is no vents or very small vents, pulling a door open could cause a vacuum which could open or
close a door in another part of the building/house.
* Faulty door locks and latches could cause a door to open on its own.
* Temperature changes in a house or building could cause door gaps to widen or shrink causing locks to
unlatch on their own.
OUTDOOR INVESTIGATIONS:
Banging/ strange noises:
* Loose material lying on the ground (e.g. timber, corrugated iron sheeting, metal etc)
* Loose fencing that could rattle or vibrate.
* Wind whistling through trees and shrubs.
* Loose objects blowing around (cans, bottles cardboard, rubbish etc)
*Hoax or practical jokes.
Wildlife:
* Animals moving around in trees, shrubs and bushes. (e.g. birds, possums, koalas etc)
* Animals moving through grass, over gravel, jumping fences, climbing trees. (e.g cats, rabbits, reptiles,
possums kangaroos etc)
* Glowing eyes from various animals at night could be misinterpreted as anomalous phenomena. (e.g.
sheep,foxes, possums, cats, cattle etc)
* Insects that fly/move in front of video and photographic equipment are often mistaken for anomalous
phenomena.
Strange lights:
* Distant lights appearing through trees and bushes.
* Distant vehicle headlights that appear closer than they really are. (problem in county area)
* Torchlight, camera flashes or infrared beam from camcorders can reflect of polished or shiny surfaces.
* Accidentally photographing the moon and stars - this could be misinterpreted as orbs or other anomalous
objects.
Here are just a few examples of things to look for before assuming the paranormal.
HOME OR BUILDING:
Outside noises:
* Check in and around the building for anything that could fall or crash to the ground.
* Anything that could be leaning against walls.
* Check for windows and doors that vibrate or rattle.
* Check for loose guttering, tiles or roof sheeting.
* Check for low hanging branches that may bang or rub against walls, windows, roofs, doors and fences.
Inside noises:
* Check for faulty/old plumbing/water pipes that could vibrate and rattle in walls, under floors or in roof.
* Check for faulty toilet systems (can be noisy) and faulty hot water systems (could vibrate or rattle).
* Heavy vehicles, trains, jets etc. could cause china/crockery to vibrate, furniture to shake, mirrors to vibrate
or rattle and loose objects to move or rattle.
* Check for venation blinds, roll-up blinds, vertical drapes which in the wind can blow causing
banging, scraping or entangle loose objects and throw them banging to the floor.
* Check for animal infestation such as rats, mice, possums etc. These animals can make a lot of noise in the
roof space, between walls, and under the floor especially at night.
* Pets such as cats, birds, rats or any other active pets can easily jump up on cupboards, tables,
bookshelves etc and tip over china/crockery, books etc making lots of noise.
* Check for hoaxers and pranksters even thieves that could have been on the property.
Electronic equipment / lighting:
* Faulty or failing electronic circuits within the television, stereo, CD player, DVD players/recorders that could
turn "OFF" or "ON" the device.
* Someone might have programmed the ON/OFF/channel schedule on the appliance without informing
others.
*External remote control receivers affecting appliances, this could cause televisions, radios, stereo, garage
doors etc. to turn "ON or "OFF", change channels and open or close garage doors. There could be
pranksters or a neighbour with the same frequency remote control.
* If lights flicker, check for faulty/old wiring or faulty sockets.
* Check that power points are not faulty, as they can affect appliances plugged into them.
Doors opening and closing on their own:
*Pressure or vacuum affect. When a house or building is well sealed from drafts or heat intrusion or when
there is no vents or very small vents, pulling a door open could cause a vacuum which could open or
close a door in another part of the building/house.
* Faulty door locks and latches could cause a door to open on its own.
* Temperature changes in a house or building could cause door gaps to widen or shrink causing locks to
unlatch on their own.
OUTDOOR INVESTIGATIONS:
Banging/ strange noises:
* Loose material lying on the ground (e.g. timber, corrugated iron sheeting, metal etc)
* Loose fencing that could rattle or vibrate.
* Wind whistling through trees and shrubs.
* Loose objects blowing around (cans, bottles cardboard, rubbish etc)
*Hoax or practical jokes.
Wildlife:
* Animals moving around in trees, shrubs and bushes. (e.g. birds, possums, koalas etc)
* Animals moving through grass, over gravel, jumping fences, climbing trees. (e.g cats, rabbits, reptiles,
possums kangaroos etc)
* Glowing eyes from various animals at night could be misinterpreted as anomalous phenomena. (e.g.
sheep,foxes, possums, cats, cattle etc)
* Insects that fly/move in front of video and photographic equipment are often mistaken for anomalous
phenomena.
Strange lights:
* Distant lights appearing through trees and bushes.
* Distant vehicle headlights that appear closer than they really are. (problem in county area)
* Torchlight, camera flashes or infrared beam from camcorders can reflect of polished or shiny surfaces.
* Accidentally photographing the moon and stars - this could be misinterpreted as orbs or other anomalous
objects.
Pareidolia
Pareidolia is the tendency of humans to see faces and other images in rock formations, tree stumps, dirty windows, dry and wet rot, cloud formations, smoke from burning buildings or random images on any type of surface. Humans brains are wired by evolution to recognize faces from a very early age. But the brain can be fooled or deceived into seeing facial images in random data. Common examples of pareidolia includes seeing religious symbols in random objects, hidden messages on audio recordings in reverse.
In paranormal research, pareidolia is a common phenomena, especially under poor lighting or in unfamiliar surroundings. Even paranormal investigators cannot stop the natural tendency to recognize patterns from occurring. But knowing about the phenomena can limit its effects.
Be especially careful when enlarging or cleaning up photos - an increased file size produces more pixellation, which could cause the mind to go into pattern recognition mode, creating random patterns that look familiar but are just random.
Take time to understand how you and others perceive things and remember that your brain can fool you.
In paranormal research, pareidolia is a common phenomena, especially under poor lighting or in unfamiliar surroundings. Even paranormal investigators cannot stop the natural tendency to recognize patterns from occurring. But knowing about the phenomena can limit its effects.
Be especially careful when enlarging or cleaning up photos - an increased file size produces more pixellation, which could cause the mind to go into pattern recognition mode, creating random patterns that look familiar but are just random.
Take time to understand how you and others perceive things and remember that your brain can fool you.