Why do People Investigate the Paranormal?

You're probably here because you investigate, are a fan of watching others investigate, or want to understand why so many people do it. It's all over YouTube and at least was popular on TV for a long time. You can watch investigations, you can listen to people debunk other investigations, listen to commentary on the paranormal... anything you want, really. Some genuine, some not. Some intentionally just there to give you a good scare. And you probably have your own reasons for enjoying it.

But why do people investigate the paranormal? Let's talk about it for a minute. And feel free to tell me your reasons in the comments.

·        Curiosity and Exploration
Many are simply curious if paranormal phenomena really exist and want to explore the unknown firsthand.

·        Personal Experiences
A lot of investigators, when asked, will respond with a paranormal experience they had years ago, or even as a child. Myself included. I had a few experiences in my childhood home that I couldn't explain, and now, as an adult, I am trying to explain them while no longer having access to that home. I can't say for certain they were paranormal... which is why I started investigating. I will never be able to debunk them now, and I'll never be able to say without doubt that they were 100% paranormal. But I set out to find my own answers as to whether a paranormal explanation is even valid.

·        Scientific or Investigative Interest
Others approach ghost hunting with a more skeptical or scientific mindset, aiming to gather evidence, analyze data, and debunk myths. This is another aspect of it that is a lot of fun. And this explains all the equipment. Whether the equipment works or not, people are trying to find something that does. 

While Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone to connect the living across distances, another iconic inventor, Thomas Edison, reportedly dreamed of using technology to bridge the gap between life and death.

Though Edison never publicly built or patented such a device, he expressed interest in creating a machine that could detect or communicate with spirits — sometimes called a “spirit phone.” This idea was part of his broader curiosity about the mysteries of existence and the afterlife.

Though purely speculative, Edison’s vision inspired later paranormal researchers who developed modern tools like Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) recorders, devices designed to capture possible spirit voices that humans can’t normally hear.

Edison’s imagined “spirit phone” never came to life, but it symbolizes the human drive to use technology to explore the unknown — a theme that continues in ghost hunting today.

If you want to look into that more:

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•          Book: The Ghost Hunters: True Stories from the World's Most Famous Demonologists by Deborah Polsky
• This book mentions Edison’s fascination with spirit communication devices and his rumored “spirit phone” concept.

·         Book: Ghostly Apparitions: The Science of Apparitions by Trevor H. Hall

• Provides historical context on inventors and scientists, including Edison, who explored paranormal phenomena.

·         Article: “Thomas Edison and the Spirit Phone” — Historic Mysteries (historicmysteries.com)

• A well-researched article summarizing Edison’s interest in spirit communication and how it inspired later paranormal technology.

·         Book: Electronic Voice Phenomena: A Handbook for Investigators by David Morehouse

• Discusses EVP technology and references Edison’s early ideas about spirit communication.

·         Interview and quotes collection: Edison’s comments on spirit communication

• Various archives and paranormal research sites (e.g., The Society for Psychical Research) quote Edison expressing curiosity about using technology to contact spirits, though no prototype was ever developed.

·         Smithsonian Magazine article: “Did Thomas Edison Try to Invent a Spirit Phone?”

• Covers the history and myths surrounding Edison’s supposed inventions related to the paranormal. 

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      As you can see, this isn't new. Including those who aren't genuine. So we've always had those who tried to create the equipment and those willing to try it out. 

      Thrill and Entertainment
Let's face it... a lot of people watch paranormal content to get scared. They may have questions and curiosity, they may not. But at the end of the day, they want to be scared, and as I have mentioned before, believing what you are watching is real makes it much scarier. So even the stuff that is obvious will have defenders because they need it to be real to be scared by all the paranormal content they consume. 

·        Historical Interest
Many haunted locations have rich histories. Ghost hunters often appreciate the historical context and want to connect with the past. If you look at the locations, a lot of them have these historical backstories that everyone wants to hear and include. The history is as much a fascination as the ghost hunt. And a lot of the history isn't stuff that would be taught in schools or isn't "important" enough to have books written about them. How many books do you see about brothels? Well, you get a lot of history of them in paranormal content! You might also hear stories about individual people who might be known to locals, but maybe not as well known outside the area. So really, some of the history you get is really prime.

·        Spiritual or Religious Reasons
This can cover a lot of aspects. Some people want to prove all ghosts are demons. Some want to prove demons don't exist. Some want to help wandering spirits pass on to whatever afterlife awaits them. Some may want to help those spirits finish whatever work keeps them here. A lot of people want to know what happens after we die. A lot. What better way to find out than to ask the dead, right? Is heaven real? Can you come back? Did you choose to stay here? Lots of questions.

·        Community and Social Experience
I have friends I would never have met if not for paranormal investigation. And I think every investigator can say the same thing. We come together to compare notes, investigate together, gain access to locations, share equipment, get new ideas on ways to investigate, etc. For a lot of people this is a passion, and friendships can grow very strong from shared passion. Most investigators are not making a living doing this. But they are sharing in a love for something with others and building lifelong relationships.

·        Media Influence
Popular TV shows, movies, and online content glamorize and popularize ghost hunting, inspiring people to try it themselves.

·        To Find Answers
This is one of those things you have to be so careful with. As an investigator, someone may reach out to you at some point to investigate whether or not a deceased loved one is still around them. Or they may ask you to teach them how to investigate so they can find out themselves. How you handle that is on you. If you investigate and tell them you found no evidence, it could mentally destroy them because they so desperately want that person to still be accessible. If you tell them they went to heaven, you could start someone down the path of obsessive religious belief that could be dangerous to themselves, set them off because their personal belief system doesn't match yours, or validate their attempts at risky behavior to contact them from the beyond. If you tell them you have evidence they are still around, this could also set off an obsessive need to talk to them, causing them to do a lot of things that could be detrimental to them in an attempt at one last conversation. And, of course, if you teach them how, they could start investigating like all of us, or they could become obsessive. It depends on the person, and you need to assess the situation before doing anything with those people. Always choose what causes the least harm to that person.

      I always make it a point to not debunk stories/videos/pictures/etc. from people who claim they were haunted by a loved one. I can't assess if someone is having mental health issues because I am not a psychiatrist. So I am not going to validate it, but I also won't tell them it isn't true. In some aspects, it could be comforting to the person to believe this loved one is still watching over them, or that they made the trip from the beyond to visit them and make sure they are OK. Maybe they feel they had that final conversation and brought peace or closure. I certainly don't want to take that away from them.  

·        Challenge and Problem Solving
It can be intellectually stimulating using technology, logic, and critical thinking to investigate strange phenomena. Same with debunking it. 

      If you ever wondered what questions they are trying to answer, these are a good start:

• What exactly is paranormal activity?
• Do ghosts really exist?  
• Why do paranormal events happen?
• Can paranormal phenomena be scientifically proven?
• What causes people to experience paranormal events? Is it psychological, environmental, spiritual, or something else?
• Are some places more haunted than others? Why?
• Can paranormal entities communicate with the living? How?
• How can you protect yourself from negative paranormal forces?
• What’s the difference between ghosts, spirits, and demons?
• How do paranormal investigators detect ghosts or spirits?
• Can animals sense paranormal activity?
• Is it possible to contact or communicate with the dead?
• Are there scientific explanations for phenomena labeled as paranormal?