Introduction #

Bess, some 60 years young, finds herself at her 10th séance to contact her long-dead husband. Her eyes, reflecting ten years worth of hope and desperation, were about to witness their last attempt to fulfill a promise and make contact¹.

Bess had a singular promise she made with her husband - that she would try and bridge the gap between life and death. She would find a way to receive his communication from the other side. A phrase only they knew¹.

On Halloween night in California, 1936, Bess and her guests sat with a single candle illuminating a photo of her husband, eagerly awaiting a sign, a message, anything². When the clock finally struck midnight, it rang out a dirge for all that remained unsaid between two lovers separated by cruel mortality. In that moment, Bess was asked if she had reached her decision - her reply, “My last hope is gone"². Bess whispered her final goodbye into the abyss, hoping it would find its way to her beloved husband. This was to be her last attempt to make contact.

Bess' faith in her husband’s resilience was unwavering; she believed if there were any way for him to reach out from beyond death’s door, he would have found it. The absence of his voice in the séances conveyed a poignant message to her – that spirit communication was an impossible dream^{1 2}.

Superstition, the paranormal, magic, monsters, ghosts, an afterlife … these have haunted and allured the imaginations of humans across cultures and across the centuries³. A 2013 study found that 42% of Americans believe in ghosts⁴. Some of the greatest technological and scientific advances through the 19th century were coupled with a strong interest in the paranormal among nobles, the elite, and the educated³. Yet, observations and the study of the paranormal has historically been shunned from scientific and academic writings⁵. Then why are we so fascinated by it? And why do so many people believe there is something out there?

Psychology of why we ‘see’ paranormal #

Humans have not always lived the relatively safe, latte sipping, filtered water, medically advanced life we live now. For eons, our ancestors grappled with the harsh realities of life in an unforgiving world; a world packed with predatory beasts, toxin-laced creepy crawlies, and invisible disease. To understand why some people believe they see, hear, or sense the paranormal, we must first understand the evolutionary traits that lead to this⁶.

We are predisposed to find meaning in chaos, to discern patterns where none exist⁴. This inherent cognitive bias manifests as pareidolia - a phenomenon where our minds conjure tangible interpretations from abstract stimuli. We see faces in shadows, discern humanoid forms in haphazard patterns, or hear whispered secrets amidst random noise⁷. Sometimes we even anthropomorphise inanimate objects or attribute human motivations to inexplicable events⁸. These cognitive biases serve as compasses guiding us through unfamiliar terrain and uncertain situations⁹.

The psychology of the paranormal senses has often been dismissed as mere errors, faults, or glitches in our cognitive processes. Yet this notion is increasingly being challenged by contemporary research. Could these experiences be more than just figments of overactive imaginations? Could they be intricate evolutionary defence mechanisms woven into the fabric of our evolutionary tale?

In the grand theatre of life and survival, it was always ‘better safe than sorry.’ Humans began attributing consciousness and purpose to things that lacked both. A rustling bush wasn’t just wind-blown foliage; it may have been a lurking predator. Evolutionary, it was better to walk the other way, than to brush it off as nothing and take the risk. This over-attribution served as an essential survival strategy, though it also opened doorways to belief in mystical entities. The unknown and the unexplainable, especially by our primitive minds, became less daunting when wrapped in the cloak of the supernatural. It was a simple explanation, even if it bore the mark of otherworldly forces. This initial understanding, albeit fantastical, laid a foundation for further exploration and discovery⁸.

In these ancient times, the torchbearers of wisdom were often shamans or healers who seemingly danced with the supernatural in their work. To an outsider’s eye, their practices seemed strange—often bizarre. However, these wise men and women were often the sole custodians of knowledge about complex issues such as illness or natural disasters⁸.

So perhaps our ancestors' fascination with the supernatural wasn’t indicative of cognitive misfiring or irrational thought processes. Instead, it served as an adaptive mechanism that helped them navigate through confusing aspects of existence with limited resources or information at their disposal. Thus began mankind’s journey from gazing at the stars in wonder to unraveling their mysteries - all thanks to our ability to see ghosts in shadows and gods in thunderstorms⁸.

Psychology of the fascination of paranormal #

The allure of the supernatural is a potent force in our quest for meaning amidst a complex world. The randomness and chaos inherent in life often leaves us yearning for explanations and a sense of structure that can sometimes be found within the realms of paranormal or supernatural phenomena. Besides serving as a conduit to meaning, the supernatural also offers an element of fun, encapsulated in our fascination with ghost stories and horror movies. These thrilling narratives heighten our awareness while boosting our endorphin levels, allowing us to enjoy simulated fear without any real threat¹⁰.

The emerging field of neurocinematics, which studies our psychological response to film and television, has discovered that supernatural images can stimulate the amygdala, bypassing rational thought processes. This brain region is responsible for primal instincts, desires, and reactions but tends to be under-stimulated given the nature of modern anxieties related to work and social life. Thus, viewing the supernatural on screen can offer a form of catharsis by providing much-needed ‘fear stimulus’ akin to those experienced by our Neolithic ancestors during beastly attacks¹¹.

The allure of supernatural tales may also stem from our desire to learn from others' errors, reflecting that cognitive principle of “better safe than sorry”, even if we are unaware of it. The spread of urban legends is fueled by the potential danger of dismissing a true claim compared to accepting a false one. As social beings, we exchange advice and warnings to establish credibility, and we generally admire those who do so. Therefore, urban legends can be viewed as a byproduct of our inherent need to disseminate authentic stories, rumors, and guidance⁴.

The power of the mind is an aspect that we should never overlook, especially considering how we sometimes strive to find control in situations where no such control exists. This was illustrated in a particular study involving golfing: participants were asked to make 10 putts using a golf ball. Half of the subjects were told that their golf ball was “lucky.” Intriguingly, this group of individuals made 35 percent more successful putts compared to the other half who believed they were using just an ordinary ball. This highlights how our perception and understanding of a situation, even if incorrect, can significantly influence our performance. Increased self-confidence and reduced anxiety resulting from such skewed perceptions can manifest in very tangible ways throughout our lives⁴.

Harry and Bess #

Harry and Bess shared an extraordinary love, one that transcended the boundaries of life and death. They had a deeply personal agreement; if Harry died before Bess, they would attempt to bridge the gap between worlds through spiritual séances. To confirm the authenticity of these otherworldly communications, they established a rather unconventional password: “Rosabelle - answer - tell - pray, answer - look - tell - answer, answer – tell”¹.

This peculiar sequence of words was derived from an system magicians employed to communicate stealthily with their assistants during acts. Each word or group of words corresponded to a particular letter. For instance, “answer” represented the letter B while “answer-answer” stood for the letter V. The message hidden within their chosen code was simple yet profound: “Believe.” However, Harry never transmitted this message to Bess from beyond the grave¹.

The password held layers of sentimentality beyond their secret code. The first word, “Rosabelle,” was a tender nod to their shared history. It was the title of a song Bess used to sing when she and Harry first crossed paths as budding performers in a bustling theater in Coney Island, New York. He was only 20 then and she was two years younger; both were bright-eyed with dreams larger than life¹.

This was, of course, Harry Houdini, and his wife Beatrice ‘Bess’ Houdini.

During the 1920s, Harry Houdini shifted his focus towards debunking psychics and mediums. His objective was to expose them for exploiting the grief of bereaved individuals. Leveraging his profound knowledge and training in magic, Houdini was able to unmask frauds who had previously deceived numerous scientists and academics¹². While Harry’s fraud exposing passions took off in the 1920s, there is a newspaper clipping from as early as 1897 of Harry exposing medium frauds¹³.

Houdini’s reputation as a “medium-buster” started gaining traction, leading him to attend séances in disguise. These experiences were documented in his book, A Magician Among the Spirits¹⁴.

However, these activities strained Houdini’s friendship with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—famed author of Sherlock Holmes—who was an ardent believer in spiritualism later in his life. Doyle rejected Houdini’s exposés and went so far as to believe that Houdini himself possessed strong mediumistic abilities which he used not only for his stunts but also to thwart other mediums' powers during debunking sessions. This disagreement fueled a public feud between the two men, with Doyle viewing Houdini as an formidable adversary.

After Harry’s death in 1926, and despite his silence from beyond the grave, Bess clung steadfastly onto their promise for ten long years. In 1936, as we know, it was her last attempt at invoking Harry’s spirit — her final effort at fulfilling a pact born out of an extraordinary love story that dared challenge even death’s finality¹.

Some years later, in an interview with TIME Magazine, she said she had her doubts about the existence of an afterlife. When asked about Harry, she simply replied … “Ten years is long enough to wait for any man”.

As we continue to explore the mysteries of our minds and the universe, one cannot help but wonder - do we find the supernatural fascinating because it’s a reflection of our deep, subconscious desires and fears, or because it challenges our understanding of reality? It begs us to question: Is this fascination merely a psychological need for mystery and intrigue, or is there more to this unseen world than meets the eye? Whatever your stance may be, it’s undeniable that the allure of the unknown will forever taunt us from beyond the veil.

References #

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1. Villalba, J. (2023). “The secrets of Bess Houdini, the magician’s wife who knew his escapist tricks.” Retrieved 02-March-2024, from https://english.elpais.com/culture/2023-06-21/the-secrets-of-bess-houdini-the-magicians-wife-who-knew-his-escapist-tricks.html?outputType=amp&fbclid=IwAR19TCq7Q83WNtVi576qwOwQUDyobWM-JMk0ya-4Cu0ZJzIZKQPVVlP3ixE. ↩︎

2. Cox, J. (2014). “Halloween 1936: The Final Houdini Seance.” Retrieved 03-March-2024, from https://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2014/10/halloween-1936-final-houdini-seance.html. ↩︎

3. Cambridge University Press (2024). “Cambridge Library Collection - Spiritualism and Esoteric Knowledge.” Retrieved 14-March-2024, from https://www.cambridge.org/core/series/cambridge-library-collection-spiritualism-and-esoteric-knowledge/ (Accessed through Institutional Login). ↩︎

4. Broxson, B. (2015). Why we’re so fascinated by the supernatural. Real Simple. New York, New York: Time Incorporated. 16(10), p34. ↩︎

5. Proudmore, F. (1908). The Naturalisation of the Supernatural. New York and London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons. ↩︎

6. Clasen, M. (2016). Darwin’s Bridge: Uniting the Humanities and Sciences - Chapter 11: Terrifying Monsters, Malevolent Ghosts, and Evolved Danger Management Architecture (J. Carroll, D. P. McAdams, & E. O. Wilson Eds.). New York: Oxford Academic. ↩︎

7. Jaekl, P. (2017). “Why We Hear Voices in Random Noise.” Retrieved 10-March-2024, from https://nautil.us/why-we-hear-voices-in-random-noise-236399/. ↩︎

8. Lightner, A. D. and E. H. Hagen (2022). “All Models Are Wrong, and Some Are Religious: Supernatural Explanations as Abstract and Useful Falsehoods about Complex Realities.” Human Nature 33: 425-462. ↩︎

9. Haselton, M. G., Nettle, D., & Andrews, P. W. (2005). The evolution of cognitive bias. In D. M. Buss (Ed.), The handbook of evolutionary psychology (pp. 724–746). New York, NY: Wiley. ↩︎

10. Ober, A. (2022). “Experts explain our love of fear and fascination with the supernatural.” Retrieved 09-March-2024, from https://news.arizona.edu/story/experts-explain-our-love-fear-and-fascination-supernatural. ↩︎

11. Brown, S. (2017). “Spooky! Why we are all obsessed with the supernatural.” Retrieved 09-March-2024, from https://www.varsity.co.uk/features/14062. ↩︎

12. Randi, J. (1992). Conjuring. New York, St. Martin’s Press. ↩︎

13. Cox, J. (2018). “Houdini exposed mediums MUCH earlier than we thought.” Retrieved 09-March-2024, from https://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2018/02/houdini-exposed-mediums-much-earlier.html. ↩︎

14. Houdini, H. (1924). A Magician Among the Spirits. New York and London, Harper & Brothers. ↩︎