Ouija Board - Science Or Spirits?

[The Madman]

A Ouija Board is a toy but mostly nowadays is used to contact 'dead spirits' or 'ghosts'.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/English_ouija_board.jpg/300px-English_ouija_board.jpg (http://www.virtualteen.org/wiki/File:English_ouija_board.jpg)

A Ouija board is commonly used in divination and spiritualism, often by friends out to have some fun. Sometimes, users become convinced they've been contacted by the spirit world. The board usually has the letters of the alphabet inscribed on it, along with words such as 'yes,' 'no,' 'good-bye,' and 'maybe.' A planchette, a small 3-legged device with a hole in the middle or a pointer of some sort, is manipulated by those using the board. However, users often feel the planchette is moving of its own accord rather than responding to their own unconscious muscle movements (ideomotor action). The users ask a "spirit" a question and the pointer slides until it stops over "yes" or "no" or a letter on the board. Sometimes, the selections "spell out" an answer to a question asked.

Something called the Ideomotor is responsible for subconscious movement rather than spirits, it has been proven, but who knows? Sometimes spirits could actually be moving it.

[Magus]

I don't think that it is the spirit moving it. There are no empirical proofs that spirit, ghost, or whatever exist.

[The Madman]

Yeah i don't believe it either but my Mum had a bad experience with one.
Her sisters were using it ( she wasn't ) when she was 10 and then later on in bed she heard springs creak on the chair in her room, nobody was on it, she could see it clearly and it only creaked when sat on. Explain? I try to find a logical reason for everything.

[Magus]

Her sisters were using it ( she wasn't ) when she was 10 and then later on in bed she heard springs creak on the chair in her room, nobody was on it, she could see it clearly and it only creaked when sat on. Explain? I try to find a logical reason for everything.
It's probably atmospheric interference. When people are too concentrated and are somewhat believing in things, that moment, typical things become abnormal to the observer, and this heightens the sensation of the paranormal and belief in them. It's your brain playing tricks on you.

I used to believe in Djinns. It takes 30 minutes for the eye acclimate when moving from light to dark lightings. When I switched off the light , and within that period, I could've sworn that I have seen djinns and heard them.

[The Madman]

I think I have had that as well. But it wasnt atmospheric anything, it would only creak at ALL if sat on.

[Magus]

I think I have had that as well. But it wasnt atmospheric anything, it would only creak at ALL if sat on.
It's thermal expansion. Metal expands, and when cooled, it comes back to it's original state - this is the time when it moves and makes the sounds. Hot air might have crept-in in your room.

There could be other reasons. It could be surface straining. You sit on it, it won't come back it's original shape, but when left undisturbed for a while, and it will come back.

[The Madman]

It wasn't MY room, it was about 40 years ago. You don't understand.
It CREAKED and 'somebody' sat down on it, you saw the cushion go down, then later on ( hours later ) it creaked and my mum saw it rise again

[Magus]

It wasn't MY room, it was about 40 years ago. You don't understand.
It CREAKED and 'somebody' sat down on it, you saw the cushion go down, then later on ( hours later ) it creaked and my mum saw it rise again
I told you, it was just a discrepant vision. Yeah, it's a ghost!! I can't tell you that without having proofs and evidences to back all that, and personal experiences cannot be held as reliable evidence due to its improbability.

[The Madman]

I dont know.

[Jess]

I remember going to my volunteer dinner and someone who was good with magic tricks showed us something similar....he 'contacted' his dead uncle.

but I knew he really didn't. I don't believe in ghosts

[Dunce]

I dont really know what to believe about them. But I wouldnt mess with one, just in case. My friend brought one to a friends sleepover, and as soon as her brother saw it he yelled and threw it in the fire, he wouldnt say why. And I've heard pretty awful stories.

[CaptainObvious]

Yeah i don't believe it either but my Mum had a bad experience with one.
Her sisters were using it ( she wasn't ) when she was 10 and then later on in bed she heard springs creak on the chair in her room, nobody was on it, she could see it clearly and it only creaked when sat on. Explain? I try to find a logical reason for everything.

Logical explanation? Your Mom had an over-active imagination as a kid.

Simple.

[Zazu]

Something called the Ideomotor is responsible for subconscious movement rather than spirits, it has been proven, but who knows?


In the cases that it has been tested for, yes.

I believe strongly in there being some form of upper spiritual level / higher level of consciousness that we know sod all about at the moment. The paranormal has always interested me.

[Korashk]

Ouija boards are neither science or magic. It's psychology.

[The Madman]

I second that

[Black Eight]

I don't believe in ghosts or the paranormal. I wish I did though. I don't understand why people are afraid of ghosts <--- Sorry for the generalization. If you see a ghost it would mean there was an afterlife.

[Sogeking]

I dont really know what to believe about them. But I wouldnt mess with one, just in case. My friend brought one to a friends sleepover, and as soon as her brother saw it he yelled and threw it in the fire, he wouldnt say why. And I've heard pretty awful stories.

I second this. Sometimes there are things science and logic can't explain.

[Daniel_]

50/50. I do believe in spirits, demons, all that other shiz, however the board was originally designed to move of it's own accord, based apon your sub conscience.

Either way I wouldn't fuck with it, bad things can happen.

[pretender15]

Definitely not science.

[scuba steve]

Logical explanation? Your Mom had an over-active imagination as a kid.

Simple.

I usually try to find the most logical explanation to everything, but this I cannot. To this day I remain the fact that I have witnessed a ghost in my house a girl walking from my bathroom to my parents room, the reason I believe it's real and wasn't a dream is the fact that even when I talk about it here my eyes well up as if i'm about to cry (and it's extremely rare that i cry)

Years later my dad starts announces that he has seen a girl multiple times "watching him" him from the stairs as he cooks in the kitchen... I know he's not lying as even my mum told me when he wasn't in the room that he's come in upset after seeing her.

I know this doesn't prove anything but it scares the shit out of me that he was able to describe every detail of her that i remember and had never told anyone.

[Daniel_]

I usually try to find the most logical explanation to everything, but this I cannot. To this day I remain the fact that I have witnessed a ghost in my house a girl walking from my bathroom to my parents room, the reason I believe it's real and wasn't a dream is the fact that even when I talk about it here my eyes well up as if i'm about to cry (and it's extremely rare that i cry)

Years later my dad starts announces that he has seen a girl multiple times "watching him" him from the stairs as he cooks in the kitchen... I know he's not lying as even my mum told me when he wasn't in the room that he's come in upset after seeing her.

I know this doesn't prove anything but it scares the shit out of me that he was able to describe every detail of her that i remember and had never told anyone.

If it bothers, you can contact a local priest (Scary, i know), and he can come in and cleanse your home. However, from what it sounds like it's not a harmful spirit, and probably in no way means to harm you. It's either stuck there for a reason, or it just feels like hanging around.

Do your lights ever flicker on and off, or find things falling off shelves or anything? If not, it's probably just a little girl. Those are signs for harmful spirits.

[scuba steve]

If it bothers, you can contact a local priest (Scary, i know), and he can come in and cleanse your home. However, from what it sounds like it's not a harmful spirit, and probably in no way means to harm you. It's either stuck there for a reason, or it just feels like hanging around.

Do your lights ever flicker on and off, or find things falling off shelves or anything? If not, it's probably just a little girl. Those are signs for harmful spirits.

Me and my dad have talked about it before, we both believe there is a presence that does not mean to harm, nothing moves around and there are no disturbances so we're happy to let her stay but even if it did agitate us I doubt we'd even bother with a priest, only if it some Paranormal Activity carry on going on.

It's weird that the spirit is there in the first place though since my house is new and we're the only people to live their and it's all farmland... there's a manor house down the road though.

[Daniel_]

Me and my dad have talked about it before, we both believe there is a presence that does not mean to harm, nothing moves around and there are no disturbances so we're happy to let her stay but even if it did agitate us I doubt we'd even bother with a priest, only if it some Paranormal Activity carry on going on.

It's weird that the spirit is there in the first place though since my house is new and we're the only people to live their and it's all farmland... there's a manor house down the road though.

Well a number of things could have caused it. It could be following you or someone in your family.

Then it could also be there because years back, someone could have died on the land your house was built on. It all depends, I heard of a house being built on a site where a horrific motorcycle accident happened, and the guy died where their front lawn is. He stayed on their property, and that just so happened to be where they build their house. You should look into stuff like that if it interests you, you might find something out about where you live that you never new about before.

[haha123for]

I don't think that it is the spirit moving it. There are no empirical proofs that spirit, ghost, or whatever exist.

Ok Mr. I have a logical answer for everything, Explain this.

My friend and I have spent the night at eachothers house, and he has been saying for years his house was haunted. Every time I would sleep over, the door would slam shut, and open again as if nothing happened. EVERY TIME. We then decided to be dumbER dumbasses and try the Ouija board, and we asked the spirit what year he died. It told us '1983'. His family moved into the house in '91. In 1983 the house was not there, but in fact an old school was there. We decided to google this, and found that a man had been shot dead in the piano room, in 1983, and the killer was caught 2 years later. A child (female) was also stabbed to death in the main hall, and we have seen her before as well (Whole other story) but if you could care to come up with one of your 'Know it all' explanations, I would be charmed. (: THANKS.

Also, please do not assume so strongly if you have never had a paranormal experience (assuming you haven't) because bad things have happened to people, and they feel horrible that no one believes them.

[Korashk]

My friend and I have spent the night at eachothers house, and he has been saying for years his house was haunted. Every time I would sleep over, the door would slam shut, and open again as if nothing happened. EVERY TIME. We then decided to be dumbER dumbasses and try the Ouija board, and we asked the spirit what year he died. It told us '1983'. His family moved into the house in '91. In 1983 the house was not there, but in fact an old school was there. We decided to google this, and found that a man had been shot dead in the piano room, in 1983, and the killer was caught 2 years later. A child (female) was also stabbed to death in the main hall, and we have seen her before as well (Whole other story) but if you could care to come up with one of your 'Know it all' explanations, I would be charmed. (: THANKS.

One of you had probably heard the story somewhere, educate yourself. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideomotor_effect) Ouija boards don't work unless you can see the board because it's the people moving it to form words they "want" to see.

Also, please do not assume so strongly if you have never had a paranormal experience (assuming you haven't) because bad things have happened to people, and they feel horrible that no one believes them.
No one has ever had a paranormal experience.

[haha123for]

I don't think that it is the spirit moving it. There are no empirical proofs that spirit, ghost, or whatever exist.

One of you had probably heard the story somewhere, educate yourself. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideomotor_effect) Ouija boards don't work unless you can see the board because it's the people moving it to form words they "want" to see.


No one has ever had a paranormal experience.

1) It was only two of us, and he had never done research on the subject since he never even knew if the ghost was male or female. -_- We both had our eyes on the board, and you could feel the tension of someone else being there.

2) How did we get the exact year correct if we had merely heard it? The story fucking took place in the 80's and don't say maybe his parents have heard it, because if they heard then they wouldnt have moved in the first place.

3) I know I did not move it because we both agreed we were only going to place our fingers as if we are tapping the oracle. We did not apply pressure whatsoever. Again, don't assume because you were not there.

4) I have! (: My house is haunted, and unless god is playing a cruel trick on me, then I am most certain I am correct. ^-^

[LittleMonsterMike]

Not science at all the whole proposes of the Ouija Board is to contact lost loved one but over time stupid people started dabbling in the occult not knowing what they where doing so i highly urge you to not use a Ouija Board unless you are prepared to pay the price for dabbling in magic
p.s. i had a bad experience where i used a Ouija Board and that night a voice called my name and cold air drifted through my room it was so freaky and it scared me half to death

[Sage]

Not science at all the whole proposes of the Ouija Board is to contact lost loved one but over time stupid people started dabbling in the occult not knowing what they where doing so i highly urge you to not use a Ouija Board unless you are prepared to pay the price for dabbling in magic
p.s. i had a bad experience where i used a Ouija Board and that night a voice called my name and cold air drifted through my room it was so freaky and it scared me half to death

Some friends and I used one last Halloween and absolutely nothing happened afterwards. You feel like something happened to you because you believe in it.

[CaptainObvious]

Unexplainable events are not evidence of the supernatural. For example, one time while a friend and I were walking late at night, we both saw someone appearing to be working construction on a patch of under-construction pavement 100 feet or so ahead. We saw the exact same bent-over person; by the time we got there, nothing.

Moral of the story? Human beings see lots of crazy shit that isn't there. Don't try to derive meaning from it.

[Korashk]

1) It was only two of us, and he had never done research on the subject since he never even knew if the ghost was male or female. -_- We both had our eyes on the board, and you could feel the tension of someone else being there.
That "tension" is the Ideomotor effect from one of the hands on the eyelet thing moving it towards a number and the rest of the hands following along.

2) How did we get the exact year correct if we had merely heard it? The story fucking took place in the 80's and don't say maybe his parents have heard it, because if they heard then they wouldnt have moved in the first place.
You probably hears it somewhere, you probably wouldn't have even knew it at the time. Someone around you at some point likely mentioned it, your brain took it and stored it.

3) I know I did not move it because we both agreed we were only going to place our fingers as if we are tapping the oracle. We did not apply pressure whatsoever. Again, don't assume because you were not there.
Did you even read the article? One of you started moving it and the rest of the hands/fingers followed. These ideometric movements are extremely subtle and it's not surprising that neither of you think you moved it. But one of you did. Again, the thing doesn't "work" unless you can see it (http://home.comcast.net/~parainvestigator/Articles/OuijaBoard.html).

Here are some entertaining videos on the subject courtesy of Penn and Teller:
eG4wTZuT3wM
JA5uYhXpa-E
l1YmEkCJ87s

[Peace God]

Ok Mr. I have a logical answer for everything, Explain this.
HAHAHA I love it!...fucking sigged.

[Sith Lord 13]

Ouija boards are neither science or magic. It's psychology.

Psychology is science.

[Magus]

Psychology is science.
We all know that psychology is science. And not pseudoscience of Supernatural and Paranormal. Like astrology.

[Korashk]

Psychology is science.
I do not consider most of psychology science.

[Sith Lord 13]

I do not consider most of psychology science.

Why not?

[Korashk]

Why not?
A lot of the research for every school of psychology other than biological involves using self-reported answers from subjects and try and measure things that really can't be measured objectively like behavior, personality, thinking, and emotion. I'm not denying that the study of psychology is a useful thing, but I can't in good conscious call it science.

[Sith Lord 13]

A lot of the research for every school of psychology other than biological involves using self-reported answers from subjects and try and measure things that really can't be measured objectively like behavior, personality, thinking, and emotion. I'm not denying that the study of psychology is a useful thing, but I can't in good conscious call it science.

That is a noticeable minority of studies. Many involve studying behavior. The surveys in psychology are often studying how people perceive and report things.

[Korashk]

That is a noticeable minority of studies. Many involve studying behavior. The surveys in psychology are often studying how people perceive and report things.
Psychology still mainly studies things that can't be objectively measured. That's the main reason I don't consider it science.

[KylieEatWorld]

I've heard way too many scary stories of people who messed around with the Ouija board to use it myself but I can't vouch for a certain board being able to contact spirits and the spirits existing to begin with for that matter.

[deadpie]

Put a blindfold over someone and get the ouija board out.
????
PROFIT!!!!!

It's bullshit. Even the people that are the biggest stockers of making them said so in their own way on Penn & Teller. +rep to the guy that posted the videos before me.


The reason it lands on ye or nay is because you either want to believe there is a ghost or not. It's your brain wave channels deciding it for you. That's why the blindfold theory always works. Of course, people would say, "But that doesn't count then!" It's like the same thing with religion. Once you debunk something, that doesn't count anymore.

[KylieEatWorld]

Put a blindfold over someone and get the ouija board out.
????
PROFIT!!!!!

It's bullshit. Even the people that are the biggest stockers of making them said so in their own way on Penn & Teller. +rep to the guy that posted the videos before me.


The reason it lands on ye or nay is because you either want to believe there is a ghost or not. It's your brain wave channels deciding it for you. That's why the blindfold theory always works. Of course, people would say, "But that doesn't count then!" It's like the same thing with religion. Once you debunk something, that doesn't count anymore.

Maybe the spirituality part of what happens is fiction but you just admitted to the reaction being all in your mind. In the case of the mind, supernatural scares are best to avoid as any shock can do damage psychologically. If you completely believe in no such thing as ghosts or demons you still would have to agree with the existence of insanity that can be caused or triggered by a belief of ghosts or demons contacting or trying to harm you. There are completely factual cases of people who did the bloody mary ritual and were discovered with scratches all over their face.
Self-inflicted or not, I think anyone can agree it's something to stay away from.

[deadpie]

There are completely factual cases of people who did the bloody mary ritual and were discovered with scratches all over their face.
Self-inflicted or not, I think anyone can agree it's something to stay away from.

I would like to see those cases please.

[Magus]

Maybe the spirituality part of what happens is fiction but you just admitted to the reaction being all in your mind. In the case of the mind, supernatural scares are best to avoid as any shock can do damage psychologically. If you completely believe in no such thing as ghosts or demons you still would have to agree with the existence of insanity that can be caused or triggered by a belief of ghosts or demons contacting or trying to harm you. There are completely factual cases of people who did the bloody mary ritual and were discovered with scratches all over their face.

Exactly, people thought they were attacked ghosts and demons. But the fact is, the ones who are hurting them is non other than themselves.

People thought Sleep Paralysis is demonic visitation or UFO visitation. With just a few explanations, we found out it is just your body and your mind(Here is my experience with SP (http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1113851&postcount=8)).

[Charleigh]

im not too sure. i wouldnt like to say, incase im wrong. i wouldnt play with it either, just incase it isnt science, but i wouldnt be 100% positive about what it would say. i really dont know, and again i wouldnt like to say! i think that there are such things as ghosts, but why would they only want to hurt you when you play the board, why wouldnt they want to hurt you when your not playing the board? i dont know really, i guess different people have different views right?