A variety of methods to investigate reports of ghosts, ghosts and poltergeists in order to determine if these phenomena are paranormal or due to natural causes. Scientific research developed at the end of the 19th century, which was due to an interest in spiritualism.
According to researchers of ghosts, from 70 to 98 percent of the total number of reports of ghosts are based on natural explanations, such as the play of light and shadow, hallucinations, special atmospheric conditions, geological or electromagnetic influences, and sounds made by animals. Some cases have been exposed as rigged stunts. Others were associated with human exposure, especially those related to poltergeist, when the occurrence of phenomena was associated with unconscious psychokinesis.
The Society for the Study of Mental Phenomena in London has developed a methodology for the study of spirits, ghosts and poltergeists. As a result, the following classification arose:
1) unexplained movements of objects;
2) unexplained noises (including voices and music) and smells;
3) visions, mysterious glow and shadows;
4) strange touches, jolts, sensations of heat and cold;
5) a sense of fear, horror, disgust and invisible "presence".
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The researcher must be skeptical and be open-minded about the matter. The first step is to look for all possible natural causes. They can be of two types: mechanical and personal. Mechanical causes include vibration and light from cars, road noise, and the like. Personal causes are effects that people have unconsciously or intentionally, such as squeaking floorboards when stepped on or tricks. Finding and eliminating these possible causes requires a thorough day and night inspection of the site to determine natural light, shade and noise. They study the plan of the area in order to take into account the presence of communication lines, power lines, underground rivers, mines or adits, as well as other features of the area that may cause any oddities. Researchers evaluate them and determine what is primary and what is secondary in this case. The "truthfulness" of the effects that may have a paranormal character can be said when the percipient receives information previously unknown to him in a direct way, and not indirectly. Such information can be verified through research. Truthful cases are of the greatest value to the scientific community.
Researchers must also conduct historical surveys associated with the site, take into account the geological setting and construction work. Some are studying the earlier reports in the press about strange incidents in this place, others ignore them. These latter believe that the printed reports contain perversion of facts and erroneous statements.
There are three main modes of investigation: description, experimentation, and discovery. The description includes a collection of eyewitness accounts. Witnesses should be interviewed separately in order to avoid the influence of one testimony on others. In addition to details related to the subject of study, information is needed about the living conditions, health and state of mind of the respondents.
It is necessary to find out whether they knew about such cases before or not, whether there were any strange events in their life before. Researchers should be clearly aware that when reconstructing a phenomenon, the "Rasemon" effect can occur, i.e. each witness can have a different vision of what happened, and their messages can be radically different.
The experimental part involves connecting a psychic or medium to the work in order to compare how his or her impressions coincide with the testimony of eyewitnesses. With the help of a medium, a floor plan of a house or building is drawn up where strange things happen, places where ghosts can appear, based on their feelings of "cold places" and their clairvoyance ability.
There are different opinions regarding the use of mediums in work. Some researchers believe that it is likely that mediums are repeating what they receive through telepathy or clairvoyance from the people involved in the investigation. In addition, it is impossible to obtain objective data from mediums, since they are initially determined to treat what is happening as to the usual appearance of the spirit or spirits of the dead. Other researchers use "circle" methods of work (sessions) in places of strange events, trying to establish communication with the creatures that are.
Detection includes actions such as examining rooms and objects in order to detect any violations of their condition, using special surveillance equipment (cameras, tape recorders, temperature sensors, Geiger counters), covering the floor with a layer of flour, granulated sugar or ordinary sand for detection of traces. Harry G. Price was the first to use modern technology in his research on perfume, the most significant of which was associated with the Borley house in England. Price rented a house for a while and set up a laboratory there. Despite experiments with 48 volunteers, the use of modern technical methods, felt boots, a steel measuring tape, a silent camera with a remote control, fingerprint equipment, a telescope and a handset, Price was still unable to prove the existence of a perfume. Price wrote about his work in The Most Haunted House in England, published in 1940. A few years after his death, critics claimed that he had manipulated some facts in an attempt to prove that the house was indeed haunted.
Critics argued that the study of spirits is an obscure business, it cannot be considered scientific, since it is impossible to trust eyewitness accounts. In addition, despite the greatest precautions taken by the researcher, it is impossible to control telepathy or psychics when the experiment involves ghosts.
Despite the impressive ways of studying ghosts, scientists remain ignorant of the nature of these phenomena and the laws that govern them.