A cognitive bias is an error in thinking that occurs when our brain takes mental shortcuts to process information quickly. But it can sometimes lead to a distorted perception of reality. One area where these mental shortcuts can lead to intriguing results is believing in paranormal phenomena. From ghosts and spirits to premonitions of imminent danger, the human tendency to interpret the world in particular ways can reinforce our belief in the supernatural. This post explores the psychology of paranormal beliefs, focussing on how cognitive bias can shape our everyday experiences as unusual.
Pareidolia and the Psychology Behind Paranormal Beliefs: Seeing Faces in Strange Places
One common cognitive bias that can trigger paranormal beliefs is pareidolia. This psychological phenomenon is the tendency to see familiar patterns—like faces or human-like figures in ambiguous stimuli—where none exist. For example, when people see faces in shadows or tree branches, they are experiencing pareidolia. This mental shortcut can be more powerful when we feel patterns appear in mysterious contexts, like an eerie fog or an abandoned building, strengthening paranormal beliefs.
Confirmation Bias: Reinforcing Paranormal Beliefs
Confirmation bias is another powerful cognitive distortion explored in the psychology of paranormal beliefs that can influence our worldview. This thinking error leads us to seek information confirming our beliefs while dismissing contradictory evidence. For instance, if someone already believes in ghosts, they are more likely to notice, remember, and give extra weight to experiences that support their views while downplaying any rational explanations.
Illusory Correlation: Believing Unrelated Events Are Paranormal
Illusory correlation is the phenomenon where people believe a relationship exists between two events that are, in reality, unrelated. For instance, if someone performs a ritual and something strange happens, they might believe the ritual caused the supernatural occurrence, even though the two events are coincidental. This cognitive bias is relevant in belief systems, where people often look for patterns and signs that confirm their worldview.
Availability Heuristic: Overestimating the Likelihood of Paranormal Events
The availability heuristic is another mental shortcut where we judge an event’s likelihood by how easily it comes to mind. If someone hears or reads stories about supernatural encounters or strange occurrences frequently, their brain overestimates how likely these events are to happen in their own life. This bias explains why horror movies, ghost stories, and media reports about paranormal activity strongly impact the public’s belief in the supernatural.
Anthropomorphism: Attributing Human Qualities to the Unknown
Anthropomorphism is the tendency to attribute human traits, intentions, and emotions to non-human entities or phenomena. Within the psychology of paranormal beliefs, this bias helps explain why people might interpret strange noises or unexplained events as caused by ghosts, spirits, or other supernatural beings. So, when we attribute human-like qualities to paranormal phenomena, we are more likely to think ghosts or spirits are responsible for unexplained events.
Agency Detection: Looking for Intentions in the Unknown
Humans naturally detect agency or intentionality in the world around them. This cognitive distortion was once evolutionary advantageous for survival, as detecting threats from predators helped keep us safe. However, this heightened sensitivity to purposeful intervention means we are prone to misinterpret ambiguous phenomena—like a creaking floorboard or a gust of wind—as the intentional actions of a ghost or spirit rather than considering mundane explanations like the settling of a building.
Self-Serving Bias: The Psychology of Rationalising Paranormal Beliefs
Self-serving bias is the tendency to interpret events in ways that support our beliefs. For instance, people with a deeply held belief in the supernatural may interpret a random event—a strange noise or a “coincidence”—as paranormal. This cognitive bias, central to the psychology of paranormal beliefs, helps reinforce existing ideas by framing unusual events in ways that support one’s worldview.
Cognitive Dissonance: Adjusting Beliefs to Avoid Discomfort
Cognitive dissonance occurs when there’s a conflict between our beliefs and new contradictory information. In this situation, people often adjust their thinking to reduce the discomfort caused by this inconsistency. For instance, if an unexplained event is questioned or challenged, a believer in the paranormal might rationalise it. They may see it as an even stronger indication that their belief is correct rather than confronting the possibility that they might be wrong. Thus, cognitive dissonance allows paranormal beliefs to go unchallenged, reinforcing the individual’s conviction in the supernatural.
Real-Life Example: The Polaroid Ghost Photo
I once took a Polaroid photo near a well-known suicide spot, capturing the faint outline of a white figure (see Figure 1). Although I don’t believe in ghosts, the nearby note from a loved one (see Figure 2) could amplify such beliefs. The psychology of paranormal beliefs helps explain why. For instance, pareidolia might cause the brain to interpret the random shape as a human figure. Furthermore, the location’s eerie reputation and confirmation bias could reinforce local myths. Moreover, the availability heuristic, influenced by the site’s tragic history, makes the image feel emotionally significant. Additionally, illusory correlation and agency detection might lead one to link the figure to past suicides, interpreting it as a ghostly presence rather than a photographic anomaly. Together, cognitive bias can explain how easily such photos can be evidence of the paranormal despite alternative explanations.
Real-Life Example: The Grim Reaper Silhouette
When I took this picture, showing the silhouette of a figure resembling the personification of death known as the Grim Reaper (see Figure 3), I saw it as an intriguing visual coincidence. However, I understand how it could reinforce paranormal beliefs for others. For someone already inclined to believe in omens, this image could reinforce their perception of the figure as a haunting or warning. Additionally, the emotional impact of Grim Reaper stories could make the connection more meaningful. These factors can make it easy for some to perceive the Grim Reaper photo as spooky rather than a visual anomaly.
Real-Life Example: The Omen-Like Photograph
This photo captures a peculiar line approaching a couple’s heads (see Figure 4). It’s reminiscent of the eerie scenes in The Omen film, where such details were an ominous sign of death. For those inclined to believe in the supernatural, confirmation bias could lead them to interpret the line as evidence of a premonition or feeling of impending disaster. Pareidolia might also influence people’s perception, as the brain often finds familiar patterns in ambiguous images. Moreover, the availability heuristic could strengthen the connection to death, given how popular media portray similar imagery. Together, these mental shortcuts can make it easier to interpret the Omen-like photo as a supernatural warning rather than just an artefact.
Key Points: How Cognitive Bias Influences the Psychology of Paranormal Beliefs
These eight cognitive biases can shape people’s belief in the paranormal:
- Pareidolia: Your brain sees faces in clouds, toast, or even rock formations—it’s hardwired to recognise patterns.
- Confirmation Bias: You only notice the evidence confirming your beliefs, overlooking anything contradicting them.
- Illusory Correlation: When you link random events together, like seeing a black cat and having a bad day, even though there’s no real connection.
- Availability Heuristic: You believe something is more likely just because it’s easy to recall—like supernatural stories that seem more common because they’re memorable.
- Anthropomorphism: You see human-like intentions in non-human things, such as assuming a haunted house has a ‘mood’ or spirit.
- Agency Detection: Your brain detects purposeful action in ambiguous situations, making you think an event has an intentional cause, like a ghost moving an object.
- Self-Serving Bias: You interpret certain events as signs or messages from the supernatural, especially when things go in your favour.
- Cognitive Dissonance: When confronted with evidence contradicting your beliefs, you adjust your thinking to reduce the discomfort.
So, challenge your perceptions—question your thinking and explore the world with a clearer mind.
Conclusion: The Psychology of Supernatural Beliefs
Cognitive biases like pareidolia, confirmation bias, illusory correlation, and others play a crucial role in shaping and reinforcing paranormal beliefs. Our brains naturally detect patterns, seek confirmation, and anthropomorphise the unknown. These mental shortcuts, advantageous for survival in certain situations, can sometimes cause us to draw false conclusions about reality. Understanding these thinking errors helps explain why many people believe in ghosts, spirits, and the supernatural—despite empirical evidence.
By recognising how these biases shape our beliefs, we can become more mindful of how our minds interpret the world—and perhaps approach paranormal phenomena with a more critical, scientific perspective.
Don’t forget to check out my other posts about psychology for more insights!