Common Brain Mechanisms Underlie Supernatural Perceptions (preview)

Features | Mind & Brain See Inside

Belief in the paranormal arises from the same brain mechanisms that shape most human thought

By Richard Wiseman ?| December 29, 2011?|

Image: Eric Reichbaum/Getty Images

In Brief

1. Most of us report that we believe in supernatural powers such as clairvoyance and telepathy and in the existence of ghosts.
2. The widespread reports of paranormal experiences very likely derive from many of the same mechanisms that help us make decisions in daily life.
3. Research suggests that a highly active right-brain hemisphere may cause someone to be particularly susceptible to improbable beliefs.

You may have never personally caught sight of Jesus Christ?s face in a potato chip, but you have likely succumbed to an equally improbable belief at some point in your life. Many people claim that ghosts exist or that their dreams can predict the future. Some individuals even think they have seen the face of the Virgin Mary in a grilled cheese sandwich and Mother Teresa in a cinnamon bun.

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