At the moment in the UK around 50% of people believe in some sort of paranormal phenomenon. As science and technology grow, so too does belief in the paranormal. If anything it looks the opposite way round. Is there less belief in the paranormal in the era of modern science? It’s very important to be an informed consumer. They don’t understand the tricks of the trade. The books we’re talking about and my book Paranormality really just say to people, “Here’s the other side of the equation – at least give it a try before you decide this stuff definitely exists.” I think that’s really important, because certainly when it comes to psychics and mediums people allow them to have a massive influence over their lives. My feeling is that they’re bombarded with pro-paranormal information, whether it’s from psychic hotlines or broadcasters putting out ghost shows, or in magazines and newspapers. Well it’s up to people what they believe. How important is it to debunk this stuff? Why not humour the people who believe in ghosts and UFOs? Paranormal experiences – whether it’s a psychic or an out-of-body experience or seeing a ghost – may not tell you anything about the world of the supernatural, because that world doesn’t exist, but those experiences still tell you about how your brain and mind operate. So by investigating these seemingly ridiculous claims, we can find very real scientific knowledge about our brains and how we perceive the world.Ībsolutely. Being fooled like that normally isn’t a good thing – it tells you a lot about your brains and your eyes and so on, but for the most part we want to accurately understand what’s happening in the world, and that’s why psychology is so important. Anyone who’s seen optical illusions will realise we’re good at thinking the world is one way, but actually there is something else going on. I think it’s enormously important to be sceptical, particularly in psychology because we’re very good at leading ourselves astray. But in a sense it’s the scepticism that underlies all of my work that attracted me – whether it’s looking at people who claim to be very lucky, or at human behaviour which on the face of it looks one way, but if we use science and psychology then we find out what’s really going on. I’ve spent 20 years looking at ghosts and alleged psychics and so on. The paranormal is one of my research topics. How and why did you turn your scientific eye to the paranormal? Foreign Policy & International Relations.

Spook by Mary Roach