Skip to main content

Ad

technologyCulture and Societytechnologypsychology
clock-iconPUBLISHEDOctober 23, 2025
share33

IFLScience The Big Questions: Why Do People Believe In The Paranormal?

For many people, the things that go bump in the night are not just the stuff of stories; they’re real. How do we explain that?

Dr. Russell Moul headshot

Dr. Russell Moul

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts.

Science Writer

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts.View full profile

Russell has a PhD in the history of medicine, violence, and colonialism. His research has explored topics including ethics, science governance, and medical involvement in violent contexts.

View full profile
A smartphone showing season 5 of The Big Questions, on background of spooky looking mist

Join us as we explore everything from ghosts and psychic experiences to alien abductions and Satanic cults.

Image credit: Romolo Tavani/Shutterstock.com; modified by IFLScience

Everyone loves a good ghost story. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, there’s something about the eerie and the uncanny that we all enjoy. But for many people, the things that go bump in the night are not just the stuff of stories; they’re real. In fact, countless numbers of people across the world have their own stories of the strange, whether they’re ghosts, aliens, or any other spook. How do we explain that?

The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Join host Dr Russell Moul as we discuss the psychology underpinning paranormal experiences with Chris French, Emeritus Professor of Anomalistic Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London. We explore everything from ghosts and psychic experiences to alien abductions and Satanic cults, and ask the big question: Is there really something strange going on, or is it all in our heads?

You can listen to this episode and subscribe to the podcast on all your favorite podcast apps: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, PodbeanAmazon Music, and more.


Written by 

Add us as a Google preferred source to see more of our
trusted coverage in Search