Is my brain wired to never see a ghost? A psychologist on three factors that make a paranormal experience more likely

The human mind is always searching for meaning in ambiguity. Could misinterpretations of the external world create the experience of the supernatural?

By: Melissa Maffeo, Wake Forest University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 28, 2026

Words: 1,454

Last Updated: 1 month, 4 weeks ago

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By Melissa Maffeo, Wake Forest University

Around 1 in 5 Americans say they’ve seen a ghost. I’m not one of them, and I probably never will be. I blame my brain.

Let me explain. No one can say definitively that ghosts exist, but many people believe they do. Roughly three-quarters of Americans believe in some form of paranormal activity – not only ghosts, but psychic abilities, precognitive dreams, mediums and anything else that …

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