1440 Explores Ghosts: Why We See What Isn't There
Oct 30, 2025
Dr. Chris French, a psychologist and skeptic from Goldsmiths, University of London, dives into the intriguing world of ghost beliefs. He explores why cultures around the globe have their own spirits and haunted legends, emphasizing the role of fear, memory, and the human brain's pattern recognition. French discusses phenomena like sleep paralysis and pareidolia, revealing how our minds interpret ambiguous cues to conjure apparitions. Ultimately, he argues that ghost beliefs reflect deeper psychological truths rather than actual supernatural encounters.
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Early Morning Hallucination Led To Skepticism
- Chris French woke at dawn and saw his girlfriend standing at the foot of his bed, then the image vanished when he rubbed his eyes.
- He later learned during his PhD that skepticism explained the experience without invoking the supernatural.
Mortality Fear Fuels Ghost Belief
- Fear of mortality fuels belief in ghosts as a comforting idea that death isn't final.
- The desire to reconnect with lost loved ones sustains paranormal interpretations of ambiguous events.
Agent Detection Bias Explains Apparitions
- Human brains evolved to detect agents and threats, favoring false positives over missed dangers.
- That agent-detection bias makes us prone to interpret ambiguous stimuli as presences or minds.
