Page 75 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - August/September 2017

Psychology: Truth About the Paranormal 75

Psychology: The Truth

About the Paranormal

Continued from Page 74

And even if you think you are immune, you
shouldn’t underestimate the power of
suggestion. Michael Nees at the Lafayette
College in Pennsylvania recently asked a group
of students to listen to sound recordings from
US ghost-hunting shows. Subtly priming the
volunteers with the thought that they were
involved in a paranormal study increased the
number of voices they reported hearing in the
fuzzy recordings – despite the fact that they
mostly reported being sceptics. It seems that the
merest expectation of hearing something spooky
can set your mind whirring.
Whitson’s research, meanwhile, shows
how easy it is for us all to imagine strange
happenings when we feel unsettled. Her latest
experiment found that even priming someone
with a feeling of hope – normally considered a
positive emotion – can still increase people’s
belief in the supernatural, or conspiracy theories.
The reason, she says, is that hope is still full of
uncertainty; it makes you question the future,
compared to a feeling like anger where you
might be surer of your righteousness.
And if you tell yourself that you have
reasoned yourself out of superstitions and ghost
stories, you might still harbour other beliefs that
are equally fanciful, she says. It could be a full
blown conspiracy theory about the government,
or just suspicions that your colleagues are
ganging up on you, based on a few spurious
comments.
We can perhaps see the brain’s ability to
“spot” illusory patterns in the response to the
Ebola epidemic – such as the emergence of folk
remedies (including the belief that drinking salt TWO GOOD TO BE TRUE
water is a cure), fears in the West that it will with JUSTINA MARSH and PETER MARSH
spread through air travel, and theories that it was
created by industrialised governments. JUSTINA MARSH was born in Florida but moved to the Midwest at an early age. Justina
“It’s easy to think of yourself as the one knew from a young age that she had some special gifts that others did not but did not know
holding the rational cards, but it’s wiser to exactly what these gifts were. Her parents told stories about ghosts Justina would talk to or how
understand that every one of us are going to be she would point out orbs floating around the room. Justina’s great grandmother practiced as a
prone to those mistakes when we feel like we are psychic many years ago and she is part of a family lineage of psychics. She decided to pursue
lacking control,” says Whitson. “We should all an education and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Justina works as a chemist
be ready to evaluate our assumptions more but also wants to do more. Justina was always interested in learning all she could about the
thoughtfully.” As Churchill, Turing and Conan world. She realized that she could help share information using her psychic abilities. She is
Doyle showed us, even the most astute minds very interested in the paranormal world and conspiracy theories. To Contact Justina Marsh -
can be given to fancy from time to time. Email - justinamarsh@xzbn.net
"We create beliefs because we don’t like
believing that the universe is random" [] *** AND ***

From the Pages of “Did You Know?” PETE MARSH was born in Dorset, England. His family later moved inland to Wiltshire,
by Rob McConnell: England. Growing up, his formative years were spent not far from Stonehenge or from the
Avebury stone circles. He always had an interest in the unexplained in the world. Pete trained
as an engineer with qualifications in materials science. After moving to Norway, he emigrated
DYK...5 favorite U.S. breeds: Labrador,
to the United States to further his career. In recent years, Pete has become increasingly
golden retrievers, Rottweiler, German
interested in the history of the world, which has progressed into studying spiritual beliefs. Pete
shepherd, poodle.
continues to work as an engineer, and spends much of his spare time researching the true nature
DYK...A goldfish kept in the dark will
and purpose of mankind. Pete does not claim psychic abilities, but has learned to trust his
eventually turn white.
intuition. Pete’s mother and grandmother were both psychically gifted. To Contact Justina
DYK...A swift - a bird - eats, brinks, and
Marsh - Email - petemarsh@xzbn.net
mates in the air.
DYK...Anteaters prefer termites to ants.
DYK...Blackbirds live on average 12 years,
canaries’ average 24, but the crow can live to
age 100. www.XZBN.net

Available at www.robmcconnell.ca