Difference between revisions of "Poltergeist" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Category:Anthropology]]
 
[[Category:Anthropology]]
  
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"Poltergeists" (from the [[German]] "poltern" (to knock) and "geist" (spirits)) are generally defined as mischievous and sometimes malevolent spirits. Reports of poltergeist activity typically feature raps, bumps, thumps, knocks, footsteps, and bed shaking, all without a discernible point of origin or physical reason for occurrence. Many accounts also report objects being thrown about the room, rains of dirt or other small objects, vile smells, furniture being moved, and even people being levitated or assaulted. Historically, poltergeist activity was ascribed to the [[Devil]], demons, or [[witch]]es; such activity is now often thought to be an unconcious use of [[psychokinesis|psychokinetic]] abilities.
  
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==Famous Poltergeist Cases==
  
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Like many [[paranormal]] phenomena, poltergeist stories date back well into history. Poltergeist activity was reported as early as 530 C.E., in the home of the chief physician to the [[Ostrogoth]] King Theodoric. In 858 C.E., a report of supernatural stone throwing comes from the small town of Bingen on the [[Rhine]], where [[Romans]] were fighting the [[gauls]].<ref>Durwin, Joe. July 29, 2005. [http://mysterious-hills.blogspot.com/2005/07/poltergeist-in-pownal.html "A Poltergeist in Pownal?"] These Mysterious Hills. Retrieved June 5, 2007.</ref>
  
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One of the most famous poltergeist cases was the [[Epworth Poltergeist]], which haunted the Wesley family in 1716, in the small town of Epworth, Lincolnshire. Considered to be one of the most well-documented poltergeist cases in the history of British [[paranormal]] research, no satisfactory explaination has been put forth to explain the loud rappings and noises, as well as the running footsteps, groans, and the lifting of a door latch that the Wesley family experienced in their house over the course of several months.<ref>[http://ghosts.monstrous.com/epworth_poltergeist.htm "Epworth Poltergeist"] Monstrous. Retrieved June 5, 2007.</ref>
  
Reports of poltergeist activity typically feature raps, bumps, thumps, knocks, footsteps, and bed shaking, all without a discernible point of origin or physical reason for occurrence. Many accounts also report objects being thrown about the room, furniture being moved, and even people being levitated. Though rare, a few reported poltergeists have been purported to speak, including the [[The Bell Witch]] in 1817 and [[Gef the Talking Mongoose]] in 1931.
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Other well-known instances of poltergeist activity include the [[Tidworth Drummer]] (1661), where poltergeist activity and phantom drumming noises plagued a magistrate who arrested and confiscated the drum of a vagrant drummer, as well as the [[Bell Witch]] (1817), activity surrounding the [[Fox Sisters]], whose experiences started the [[Spritualism Movement]] of 1848, and the [[Livingston Wizard]] (1797) of West Virginia, where all cloth items were cut into spiral shapes, and objects flew about without explaination.<ref>Taylor, Troy. 1998. [http://www.prairieghosts.com/wizard.html "The Livingston Wizard"] Ghosts of the Prairie. Retrieved June 5, 2007.</ref>
  
==Research==
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The twentieth century saw an increase in the recording of poltergeist phenomena. With more scientific interest in [[parapsychology]], more researchers investigated poltergeist activity from a scientific perspective. Cases like [[Eleonore Zugun]], a [[Romania|Romanian]] girl during the 1920's who experienced over four years of poltergeist activity, were investigated by psychical resesarchers like [[Austria]]'s Fritz Grunweld and the world-famous English researcher [[Harry Price]].<ref>Haughton, Brian. 2003. [http://www.mysteriouspeople.com/Eleonore_Zugun.htm "Eleonore Zugun - Poltergeist Girl"] Mysterious People. Retrieved June 6, 2007.</ref>
{{original research}}
 
Poltergeists are a special type of ghost. They're active in the physical world and can be malicious; they shake furniture, break dishes, set fires, and throw people and things around.
 
  
It seems that in many cases, poltergeists haunt teenagers. Sometimes, however, the teenager is the one responsible for the strange activity in order to get attention or just play a joke on someone.
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The [[Rosenheim Poltergeist]] (1967), where an [[Bavaria|Bavarian]] attorney's office was plagued by electrical phenomena such as the unscrewing and bursting of lightbulbs, the tripping of switches, and phone numbers called thousands of times, was investigated not only by psychical researchers, but also psychologists and physicists, as well as the electric company. It was found that the phenomena always occured in the presence of a 19 year old female employee.<ref>Wallechinsky, David and Irving Wallace. 1981. [http://www.trivia-library.com/b/biography-of-electric-psychokinetic-anne-marie-sch-part-1.htm "Biography of Electric Psychokinetic Anne-Marie Sch. Part 1"] Trivia-Library.com. Retrieved June 6, 2007.</ref>
  
Some researchers, though, think that in a certain number of cases, since fraud is never discovered, these teenagers are not doing anything. They believe that strong emotions may somehow create a type of energy, or force, that makes strange things happen.
 
  
==Major Hypotheses==
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The [[Miami Poltergeist]] case (1967) centered around a disgruntled and recently suicidal employee in a warehouse, around whom items would fly off the shelves and break. Researchers recorded 224 separate incidents, and numerous tests were carried out to rule out fraud. The paranormal phenomena were witnessed not only by parapsychologists, but also by police officers and a professional magician.<ref>Bugliaro Goggia, Michele. April 12, 2007. [http://www.ufopsi.com/articles/miamipoltergeist.html "The Miami Poltergeist"] Ufopsi Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 6, 2007.</ref>
  
These are the major theories for poltergeist phenomena.
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==Characteristics of Poltergeists==
  
===Mischievous spirits===
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The most commonly reported type of poltergeist activity is generally a combination of loud, unexplainable noises and the movement of objects. Objects can include everything from rocks to household appliances. Movement can occur on a small scale, or may involve the moving of large, heavy objects or the violent hurling of smaller ones. Electrical disturbances, such as the turning on/off of appliances or lighting, can also occur. In some extreme cases, poltergeists have been reported as violently attacking their victims, including sexual assault.
  
A pamphlet printed in London in 1698 by Mr. Ricard Chamberlain provides an account of a poltergeist-type haunting that had occurred some years before. Two copies of the pamphlet exist in the [[British Museum]] called: "[[Lithobolia]], or stone throwing Devil. Being an Exact and True account (by way of Journal) of the various actions of infernal Spirits or (Devils Incarnate) Witches or both: and the great Disturbance and Amazement they gave to George Walton's family at a place called Great Island in the province of [[New Hampshire]] in [[New England]], chiefly in throwing about (by an Invisible hand) Stones, Bricks, and Brick-Bats of all sizes, with several other things, as Hammers, Mauls, Iron-Crows, Spits, and other Utensils, as came into their Hellish minds, and this for space of a quarter of a year...."
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Poltergeists are said to have five levels of activity:  
  
===Poltergeist activity originates with agents===
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*Level One, called "Senses Attack", involves cold spots, strange noises, and a feeling that one is being watched. Pets may behave strangely, and odd smells or offensive odors may be noticed.
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*Level Two, called "Communication", is an increase of Level One. Noises become more definable, turning into whispers, shrieking, moans, or giggles. Cold spots become cold rushes of air, small objects are thrown, and small marks may appear on walls.
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*Level Three, called "Electrical Control", involves the turning on/off of appliances, disturbances happen with telephones, and windows and doors open/close and lock/unlock. Unseen hands may grab or touch people, and furniture may move.
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*Level Four, known as "The Trickster Stage", is even more violent. Objects disappear or move violently, and sometimes burst into flame. Apparitions and voices appear, violently threatening people with foul language. People feel dizzy or naseous, and may be physically attacked.
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*Level Five is known as the "Danger Level", and is the highest energy level. Biting, scratching, punching, and even sexual assaults may occur. Kitchen knives or other deadly weapons are aimed at people, and blood may appear on the walls, floors, or ceilings. Where previous activity was frightening, level five activity is actually life-threatening.
  
Poltergeist activity tends to occur around a single person called an agent or a focus.<ref>
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Poltergeists are said to cycle through the above levels, which may take days, months, or even years. After level five, the poltergeist is said to go into a kind of dormancy, until eventually activity begins again with Level One.<ref>[http://www.hauntanalyst.com/Poltergeist.html "5 Levels of a Poltergeist"] Hauntanalyst.com. Retrived June 7, 2007.</ref>
{{cite book
 
| author = Guiley, Rosemary Ellen
 
| coauthors =
 
| year = 1991
 
| title = Encyclopedia of the Strange, Mystical & Unexplained
 
| publisher = Gramercy Books
 
| location = New York
 
| id = ISBN 0-517-16278-4
 
}} Page 456: (entry for Poltergeist) "...typically an agent, an individual who seems to act as a focus or magnet for the activity. The agent is a factor in most cases, both those that seem paranormal or that may be caused by human PK."</ref> Foci are often, but not limited to, [[pubescent]] children. Almost seventy years of research by the [[Rhine Research Center]] in [[Raleigh-Durham]], [[North Carolina]], has led to the [[hypothesis]] among parapsychologists that the "poltergeist effect" is a form of [[psychokinesis]] generated by a living human mind (that of the agent). According to researchers at the Rhine Center, the "poltergeist effect" is the outward manifestation of psychological trauma. {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
 
  
===Separate existences===
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Poltergeist activity is usually considered to be temporary, sometimes lasting as little as a day or two. Unlike [[ghosts]], poltergeist activity is generally centered around an individual, not a place, and is generally more destructive.
  
Poltergeists might simply exist, like the "[[elementals]]" described by [[occultists]].
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==Theories==
  
Another version posits that poltergeists originate after a person dies in a powerful rage at the time of death. According to yet another opinion, [[ghost]]s and poltergeists are "recordings." When there is a powerful emotion, sometimes at death and sometimes not, a recording is believed to be "embedded" in a place or, somehow, in the "fabric of time" itself. This recording will continue to play over and over again until the energy embedded disperses.  
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Historically, poltergeists were often thought to be manifestations of the Devil or demons, or the work of witches and sorcery. Modern research tends to put poltergeist activity into several main catagories: individual entities (either malicious or simply michevious), unconcious [[psychokinetic]] activity, and physical explainations (such as electromagnetic forces). Additionally, some purported poltergeist activity is nothing more than fraud.
  
However some poltergeists have had the ability to articulate themselves and to have distinct personalities, which suggests some sort of self-awareness and intent. Practitioners of [[astral projection]] have reported the existence of unfriendly astral life forms, which [[Robert Bruce (author)|Robert Bruce]] called "negs" (whom we might also identify with elementals). If they exist, these may well have the ability to affect the physical world. {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
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===Devil, Demons, and Spirits===
  
===Caused by physical forces===
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Poltergeist activity was commonly thought to be the work of devils or witches. An account from the late 1600's describes a "Stone-Throwing Devil", or "[[Lithobolia]]" that plagued a New Hampshire family. Objects both inside and outside the home were moved, rocks were thrown violently about, and the family members were personally attacked. An elderly neighbor was said to be suspected of witchcraft.<ref>Brown, Janice. May 7, 2007. [http://cowhampshire.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/5/7/2739604.html "New Hampshire Glossary: Lithobolia—The Stone Throwing Devil"] Cow Hampshire. Retrieved June 6, 2007.</ref> Particularly in superstitious times and/or cultures, witchcraft and demons were blamed for most poltergeist activity, as well as instances of crop failure or sickness. The idea of poltergeists as demons, however, is still present in much of [[Christian]] theological thought; some Christians believe that, since human dead are either in heaven or hell, and unable to roam the earth in the spirit world, that poltergeist activity must be the work of demons. Proponents of this theory argue that poltergeist activity has strong evidence of a conscious intelligence, and that the nature of poltergeist attacks is often annoying, malicious, and sometimes viciously dangerous, and is intended to confuse, bewilder, and frighten victims.<ref> Ankerberg, John and John Weldon. [http://www.johnankerberg.com/Articles/theological-dictionary/TD1104W3.htm "Poltergeists - An Evaluation of a Demonic
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Phenomenon - Part 1"] Akerberg Theological Research Institute. Retrieved June 6, 2007.</ref>
  
Some scientists propose that all poltergeist activity that they can't trace to fraud has a physical explanation such as [[electrostatics|static electricity]], [[electromagnetic]] fields, [[ultrasound|ultra-]], and [[infrasound]] and/or ionized air. In some cases, such as the Rosenheim poltergeist case, the physicist F. Karger from the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik and G. Zicha from the Technical University of [[Munich]] found none of these effects present and [[psi]] [[proponents]] claim that no evidence of fraud was ever found, even after a sustained investigation from the police force and CID, though [[criminology|criminologist]] Herbert Schäfer quotes an unnamed detective watching the agent pushing a lamp when she thought nobody was looking. However, whether this is true or not, police officers did sign statements that they had witnessed the phenomena. [[John Hutchinson]] has claimed that he has created poltergeist effects in the lab. Also worth noting is that some scientists now propose that [http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn1720 poltergeists and ball lightning may be linked phenomena]. Some scientists go as far as calling them pseudo-psychic phenomena and claim that [http://physicsweb.org/articles/world/13/05/8 under some circumstances they are caused by obscure physical effects.] and parapsychologists William G. Roll and [[Dean Radin]], [[physicist]] Hal puthoff and head of [[electrical engineering]] at [[Duke University]] who specializes in electromagnetic field phenomena, claim that poltergeist phenomena [the movement of objects at least] could be caused by anomalies in the zero-point field, http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/articles/pdf/17.1_roll.pdf, this is outlined in the above article and in Roll's book "unleashed" and mention is made of it in a chapter of Dean Radin's book "entangled mind." The basic theory is that poltergeist movements are repulsive versions of the casimir effect that can put pressures on objects. Thus, anomalies in this field could conceivably move objects. This theory has also been mentioned in the current book on paranormal phenomena "science" by Marie D. Jones  http://www.amazon.com/PSIence-Discoveries-Existence-Paranormal-Phenomena/dp/1564148955
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===Individual Entities===
The theory is not complete, however, because it accounts for the movement of objects but not for the strange voices, seeming personality, and strange electrical effects displayed in some cases.
 
  
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Some believe poltergeists may be the confused, lost, or angry spirits of the dead, unable to move beyond the "earthly plane". One version of this belief posits that poltergeists originate after a person dies in a powerful rage. In another theory, [[ghost]]s and poltergeists are nothing more than "recordings" from persons no longer present. When there is a powerful emotion, in death or life, a recording of such an energy is then "embedded" in a place, or in the "fabric of time" itself. This recording will continue to play over and over again until the energy embedded disperses. Others believe poltergeists simply exist, like the "[[elementals]]" described by [[occultists]].
  
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Some poltergeists have seemingly had distinct personalities and the ability to articulate themselves, which suggests some sort of self-awareness and intent. Practitioners of [[astral projection]], such as author [[Robert Bruce]], catagorise a number of beings that exist on the astral plane, and report the existence of unfriendly astral life forms, called "negs", who have the ability to harm as well as cause objects to move during psychic attacks.<ref>Bruce, Robert. 2004. [http://www.astraldynamics.com/search.asp?Search=poltergeist&Type=1&ReferenceID=216 "Spirits, Angels, Origins and Relationships"] Astral Dynamics. Retrieved June 6, 2007.</ref>
  
===Self-delusion and hoaxes===
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===Poltergeist activity originates with agents===
  
Skeptics think that the phenomena are hoaxes perpetrated by the agent. Indeed, some poltergeist agents have been caught by investigators in the act of throwing objects. A few of them later confessed to faking. {{Fact|date=April 2007}}
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The observation that poltergeist activity often occurs around an "agent", or a person that seems to act as a magnet for the activity, has led to the idea that the agent him/herself may well be responsible for the activity. Agents are most often young; many are pre-pubescent. In the 1960's, researchers at the Psychical Research Foundation in Durham, North Carolina studied 116 written reports of poltergeist activity, and came to the conclusion that children and teenagers used subconcious psychokinetic (PK) abilities to express hostility without fear of punishment. Children were not aware that they were causing the disturbances, but were generally pleased that they occurred.<ref>[http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/p/poltergeist.html "Poltergeist"] The Mystica. Retrieved June 6, 2007.</ref> Interestingly enough, poltergeist activity can stop once the child goes through puberty, as in the case of Eleonore Zugan.<ref>Haughton, Brian. 2003. [http://www.mysteriouspeople.com/Eleonore_Zugun.htm "Eleonore Zugun - Poltergeist Girl"] Mysterious People. Retrieved June 7, 2007.</ref>
  
Skeptics maintain that parapsychologists are especially easy to fool when they think that many occurrences are real and discount the hoax hypothesis from the outset. Even after witnessing first hand an agent throwing objects, psi-believing parapsychologists rationalize the fact away by assuming that the agents are only cheating when caught cheating, and when you do not catch them, the phenomenon is genuine. One reason given is that the agents often fake phenomena when the investigation coincides with a period of time where there appears to be little or no 'genuine' phenomena occurring. {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
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A great deal of poltergeist cases seem to center around a single agent, and when that agent is not present, poltergeist activity ceases. In the case of the Miami Poltergeist, poltergeist activity only took place when the disgruntled employee Julio Vasquez was present. A [[Cuba|Cuban]] refugee, Vasquez was unhappy in his job, was often depressed and angry, and had recently attempted suicide. On days Vasquez did not work, all was calm, but when he was present, and particularly if he was experiencing strong negative emotions, the poltergeist activity was frequent. This suggests that the mental state of the agent can influence or create poltergeist activity.<ref>Bugliaro Goggia, Michele. April 12, 2007. [http://www.ufopsi.com/articles/miamipoltergeist.html "The Miami Poltergeist"] Ufopsi Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 7, 2007.</ref>
  
==Examples==
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===Caused by physical forces===
  
[[William G. Roll|William Roll]], [[Hans Bender]], and [[Harry Price]] are perhaps three of the most famous poltergeist investigators in the annals of parapsychology.  Harry Price investigated [[Borley Rectory]] which is widely regarded as "the most haunted house in England."  
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Some scientists propose that all poltergeist activity that they can't trace to fraud has a physical explanation such as [[electrostatics|static electricity]], [[electromagnetic]] fields, [[ultrasound|ultra-]], and [[infrasound]] and/or ionized air. In some cases, such as the Rosenheim poltergeist case, the physicist F. Karger from the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik and G. Zicha from the Technical University of [[Munich]] found none of these effects present and [[psi]] [[proponents]] claim that no evidence of fraud was ever found, even after a sustained investigation from the police force and CID, though [[criminology|criminologist]] Herbert Schäfer quotes an unnamed detective watching the agent pushing a lamp when she thought nobody was looking. However, whether this is true or not, police officers did sign statements that they had witnessed the phenomena. [[John Hutchinson]] has claimed that he has created poltergeist effects in the lab. Also worth noting is that some scientists now propose that [http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn1720 poltergeists and ball lightning may be linked phenomena]. Some scientists go as far as calling them pseudo-psychic phenomena and claim that [http://physicsweb.org/articles/world/13/05/8 under some circumstances they are caused by obscure physical effects.] and parapsychologists William G. Roll and [[Dean Radin]], [[physicist]] Hal puthoff and head of [[electrical engineering]] at [[Duke University]] who specializes in electromagnetic field phenomena, claim that poltergeist phenomena [the movement of objects at least] could be caused by anomalies in the zero-point field, http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/articles/pdf/17.1_roll.pdf, this is outlined in the above article and in Roll's book "unleashed" and mention is made of it in a chapter of Dean Radin's book "entangled mind." The basic theory is that poltergeist movements are repulsive versions of the casimir effect that can put pressures on objects. Thus, anomalies in this field could conceivably move objects. This theory has also been mentioned in the current book on paranormal phenomena "science" by Marie D. Jones  http://www.amazon.com/PSIence-Discoveries-Existence-Paranormal-Phenomena/dp/1564148955
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The theory is not complete, however, because it accounts for the movement of objects but not for the strange voices, seeming personality, and strange electrical effects displayed in some cases.
  
In the Rosenheim case, Dr. Friedbert Karger was one of two physicists from the Max Planck Institute who helped to investigate perhaps the most validated poltergeist case in recorded history. A 19-year-old secretary in a law firm in Rosenheim, a small town in southern Germany, was seemingly the unwitting cause of much chaos in the firm, including disruption of electricity and telephone lines, the rotation of a picture, swinging lamps which were captured on video (which was one of the first times any poltergeist activity has been captured on film), and strange sounds that sounded electrical in origin were recorded. Fraud was not proven despite intensive investigation by the physicists, journalists, and the police. The effects moved with the young woman when she changed jobs until they finally faded out and Friedbert Karger's whole perspective on physics changed. "These experiments were really a challenge to physics," Karger says today. "What we saw in the Rosenheim case could be 100 per cent shown not to be explainable by known physics."  [http://www.uri-geller.com/books/magician-or-mystic/chapter10.htm]. The phenomena were witnessed by Hans Bender, the police force, the CID, reporters, and the physicists. The claims were aired in a documentary in 1975 in a series called "Leap in the Dark."
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===Self-delusion and hoaxes===
  
==Famous poltergeist infestations==
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Skeptics of poltergeist phenomena point out that humans can be easily fooled, either intentionally by others or by their own minds, into accepting that perfectly natural events have supernatural causes. A Kentucky family experienced a number of events that convinced them they had a poltergeist, including flying telephones, moving objects, and appliances that started by themselves. Upon investigation, it was determined that each of these incidents had a simple explaination, and the homeowners were relieved to find they did not in fact have a poltergeist.<ref>Baker, Robert. June 2000. [http://www.csicop.org/sb/2000-06/poltergeist.html "The Case of the Missing Poltergeist"] Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Retrieved June 7, 2007.</ref>
  
Although poltergeist stories date back to the first century, most evidence to support the existence of poltergeists is anecdotal. Indeed, many of the stories below have several versions and/or inconsistencies; however there are a few that do not, for example, the Miami poltergeist has event records signed by all witnesses as to the way things happened. These witnesses include police officers, a skeptical magician, and workers at the warehouse.  
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There have also been numerous cases of intentional fraud. Some create a fraudulent poltergeist for attention, some for entertainment, and others for publicity or monetary gain. Teenagers are often the culprit in cases of fraud. In 1984, fourteen year old [[Tina Resch]] perpetrated a poltergeist hoax on her adoptive parents, where telephones would fly across the room and lamps would swing and fall. Young Tina used the media attention to help her find her biological parents. A group of four North Dakota children terrorized their teacher and classmates with poltergeist pranks simply because they enjoyed the excitement and publicity.<ref>Carroll, Robert. [http://skepdic.com/poltergeist.html "Poltergeist"] The Skeptic's Dictionary. Retrieved June 7, 2007.</ref>
  
* An "evil spirit" threw stones and made the walls shake in a small farmhouse. This was the first recorded poltergeist case. (858)
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A common argument of critics of [[parapsychology]] is that paranormal investigators are blinded by their desire to believe in paranormal phenomena, and are thus oblivious of the possibility of fraud.
  
* [[Demon drummer of Tedworth]] (1661).
 
* The "Wizard," Livingston, West Virginia (1797).
 
* [[The Bell Witch]] (1817).
 
* The [[Haunting]] of The [[Fox sisters]] (1848) - arguably one of the most famous, because it started the [[Spiritualism]] movement.
 
* Hopfgarten near [[Weimar]] (1921).
 
* Eleonore Zugun - The 'Poltergeist Girl' (1926).
 
* The [[Borley Rectory]] phenomena (1929).
 
* The [[Rosenheim Poltergeist]] (1967). [http://www.geister-und-gespenster.de/spuk/spukorte/Poltergeist_Rosenheim.htm] (German and most extensive).
 
[http://www.trivia-library.com/b/biography-of-electric-psychokinetic-anne-marie-sch-part-1.htm] [http://perso.orange.fr/ouriel/fr/htm/poltergeist%20de%20rosenheim.htm]
 
* The [[Enfield Poltergeist]] (1977).
 
* The Miami Poltergeist, a poltegeist witnessed by police and a skeptical magician who did not believe it was a ghost, but admitted he witnessed phenomena he could not explain. Many others witnessed phenomena including reporters, parapsychologists, and workers at the warehouse.
 
* The [[George Mackenzie|Mackenzie Poltergeist]] (fairly recent) - Famed for haunting Greyfriars church yard, Edinburgh, UK.
 
* The [[Canneto di Caronia fires]] poltergeist (fairly recent (2004-2005)) - Famed for defying all attempts at a scientific explanation, Sicily, Italy [http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=14726&sec=39&con=52].
 
*The [[Carla Moran|Entity Case]] allegedly involved a single mother of three named Carla Moran who was being repeatedly raped by an invisible [[entity]] and her two helpers over the course of several years.
 
* The case of [[Tina Resch]], widely reported in the media in 1984.
 
* A recent case in [[Barnsley]] near [[Sheffield]] in England, where poltergeist effects were witnessed by the police force. [http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1464106]
 
  
Although some parapsychologists suggest that poltergeists could be a form of recurrent PK, there is very little evidence for PK recorded on film or witnessed by objective parties. There are famous poltergeist cases where the activity was seen by objective parties and even skeptics.
 
  
 
==Poltergeists in fiction==
 
==Poltergeists in fiction==
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Both the name and concept of the ''poltergeist'' became famous to modern audiences in the [[Poltergeist movies|''Poltergeist'' movies]] and the subsequent TV series ''[[Poltergeist: The Legacy]]''.  The first poltergeist movie actually gave an excellent depiction (during the first half of the film) of a "typical" poltergeist infestation, right down to the depiction of the focus as a prepubescent girl.
 
Both the name and concept of the ''poltergeist'' became famous to modern audiences in the [[Poltergeist movies|''Poltergeist'' movies]] and the subsequent TV series ''[[Poltergeist: The Legacy]]''.  The first poltergeist movie actually gave an excellent depiction (during the first half of the film) of a "typical" poltergeist infestation, right down to the depiction of the focus as a prepubescent girl.
  
Poltergeist is [[Monster in My Pocket]] #117.  It resembles the long-limbed, yellow creature outside the hall door glimpsed briefly in the 1982 film.
 
 
Dean Koontz's [[Odd Thomas]] encounters many poltergeists in his adventures. Most notably, the ghost of a killer, Odd, was tracking and a nameless ghost with a [[buzz cut]] who wrecks the Panamint Casino when Datura verbally abuses and belittles the ghost of an Indian waitress.
 
 
There is a poltergeist named [[Peeves]] in the ''[[Harry Potter]]'' books. 
 
Peeves, however, does not conform to the classic definition of a poltergeist.  The fact that he manifests visually would seem to indicate that he is something similar to a ghost, though [[J.K. Rowling]] has stated that a poltergeist is not the ghost of any person who has ever lived.  Perhaps she intended Peeves to be more of a literal translation of the word poltergeist, because Peeves is quite noisy and mischievous.  However, it is also possible that [[Harry Potter (character)|Harry]] and other students can perceive Peeves because they are [[Wizarding world|wizard]]s, and that he would be still invisible to [[muggle]]s. It is also interesting to note that Peeves appears in color, where the other ghosts at the school appear as white, misty figures.
 
 
The [[Terry Pratchett]] [[Discworld]] novel ''[[A Hat Full of Sky]]'' features an "ondageist" named Oswald. This is the opposite of a poltergeist: a spirit obsessed with cleaning and tidying.
 
 
On October 20, 1942, the [[old-time radio]] show [[Lights Out (radio show)|Lights Out]] featured a story called "Poltergeist" in which a trio of girls experience horrific, unexplained assaults from flying stones after one walks over a grave.
 
 
In the board game [[Atmosfear]], a playable character is Hellin the poltergeist.
 
 
On Tuesday, November 15th, 2005, [[Supernatural]] aired a episode involving a multiple haunting in the old house of Dean and Sam.  The owner of the house would claim there were rats in the house. He only heard scratching and rustling noises, but didn't actually see them.  The poltergeist in the house threw knives, opened baby cribs and refrigerators, and claims the hand of a repairman trying to fix the garbage disposal.  Also, in another episode, Phantom Traveler, a person mentions that Dean rescued him and his family from a poltergeist by himself.
 
 
Some Castlevania games feature a few poltergeist phenomena. For example, certain furniture may suddenly spring to life and attack (some of the furniture are named [[Ouija|Ouija Table]]). Another case is the enemy Alastor, where a giant sword floats around in the air, wielded by an occasionally visible, invulnerable spirit.  In some disputed game canon, it is said that a yet-unseen character called the Poltergeist King takes charge of the [[Castlevania|Belmont]] family weapons between quests.
 
 
The popular Ju-on series of horror films in Japan and the Americanized version ''[[The Grudge]]'', feature poltergeist elements including the replaying of the tragedy and the violent nature of the ghosts.
 
 
The comic [[Fetus-X]] includes a fork-throwing poltergeist cheerleader and attempts to bring her back from the dead.
 
 
The 2002 novel, ''The Bishop in the West Wing'', written by Catholic priest and author [[Andrew Greeley|Andrew M. Greeley]], includes a poltergeist as a central feature of the story.
 
  
  

Revision as of 19:15, 7 June 2007


"Poltergeists" (from the German "poltern" (to knock) and "geist" (spirits)) are generally defined as mischievous and sometimes malevolent spirits. Reports of poltergeist activity typically feature raps, bumps, thumps, knocks, footsteps, and bed shaking, all without a discernible point of origin or physical reason for occurrence. Many accounts also report objects being thrown about the room, rains of dirt or other small objects, vile smells, furniture being moved, and even people being levitated or assaulted. Historically, poltergeist activity was ascribed to the Devil, demons, or witches; such activity is now often thought to be an unconcious use of psychokinetic abilities.

Famous Poltergeist Cases

Like many paranormal phenomena, poltergeist stories date back well into history. Poltergeist activity was reported as early as 530 C.E., in the home of the chief physician to the Ostrogoth King Theodoric. In 858 C.E., a report of supernatural stone throwing comes from the small town of Bingen on the Rhine, where Romans were fighting the gauls.[1]

One of the most famous poltergeist cases was the Epworth Poltergeist, which haunted the Wesley family in 1716, in the small town of Epworth, Lincolnshire. Considered to be one of the most well-documented poltergeist cases in the history of British paranormal research, no satisfactory explaination has been put forth to explain the loud rappings and noises, as well as the running footsteps, groans, and the lifting of a door latch that the Wesley family experienced in their house over the course of several months.[2]

Other well-known instances of poltergeist activity include the Tidworth Drummer (1661), where poltergeist activity and phantom drumming noises plagued a magistrate who arrested and confiscated the drum of a vagrant drummer, as well as the Bell Witch (1817), activity surrounding the Fox Sisters, whose experiences started the Spritualism Movement of 1848, and the Livingston Wizard (1797) of West Virginia, where all cloth items were cut into spiral shapes, and objects flew about without explaination.[3]

The twentieth century saw an increase in the recording of poltergeist phenomena. With more scientific interest in parapsychology, more researchers investigated poltergeist activity from a scientific perspective. Cases like Eleonore Zugun, a Romanian girl during the 1920's who experienced over four years of poltergeist activity, were investigated by psychical resesarchers like Austria's Fritz Grunweld and the world-famous English researcher Harry Price.[4]

The Rosenheim Poltergeist (1967), where an Bavarian attorney's office was plagued by electrical phenomena such as the unscrewing and bursting of lightbulbs, the tripping of switches, and phone numbers called thousands of times, was investigated not only by psychical researchers, but also psychologists and physicists, as well as the electric company. It was found that the phenomena always occured in the presence of a 19 year old female employee.[5]


The Miami Poltergeist case (1967) centered around a disgruntled and recently suicidal employee in a warehouse, around whom items would fly off the shelves and break. Researchers recorded 224 separate incidents, and numerous tests were carried out to rule out fraud. The paranormal phenomena were witnessed not only by parapsychologists, but also by police officers and a professional magician.[6]

Characteristics of Poltergeists

The most commonly reported type of poltergeist activity is generally a combination of loud, unexplainable noises and the movement of objects. Objects can include everything from rocks to household appliances. Movement can occur on a small scale, or may involve the moving of large, heavy objects or the violent hurling of smaller ones. Electrical disturbances, such as the turning on/off of appliances or lighting, can also occur. In some extreme cases, poltergeists have been reported as violently attacking their victims, including sexual assault.

Poltergeists are said to have five levels of activity:

  • Level One, called "Senses Attack", involves cold spots, strange noises, and a feeling that one is being watched. Pets may behave strangely, and odd smells or offensive odors may be noticed.
  • Level Two, called "Communication", is an increase of Level One. Noises become more definable, turning into whispers, shrieking, moans, or giggles. Cold spots become cold rushes of air, small objects are thrown, and small marks may appear on walls.
  • Level Three, called "Electrical Control", involves the turning on/off of appliances, disturbances happen with telephones, and windows and doors open/close and lock/unlock. Unseen hands may grab or touch people, and furniture may move.
  • Level Four, known as "The Trickster Stage", is even more violent. Objects disappear or move violently, and sometimes burst into flame. Apparitions and voices appear, violently threatening people with foul language. People feel dizzy or naseous, and may be physically attacked.
  • Level Five is known as the "Danger Level", and is the highest energy level. Biting, scratching, punching, and even sexual assaults may occur. Kitchen knives or other deadly weapons are aimed at people, and blood may appear on the walls, floors, or ceilings. Where previous activity was frightening, level five activity is actually life-threatening.

Poltergeists are said to cycle through the above levels, which may take days, months, or even years. After level five, the poltergeist is said to go into a kind of dormancy, until eventually activity begins again with Level One.[7]

Poltergeist activity is usually considered to be temporary, sometimes lasting as little as a day or two. Unlike ghosts, poltergeist activity is generally centered around an individual, not a place, and is generally more destructive.

Theories

Historically, poltergeists were often thought to be manifestations of the Devil or demons, or the work of witches and sorcery. Modern research tends to put poltergeist activity into several main catagories: individual entities (either malicious or simply michevious), unconcious psychokinetic activity, and physical explainations (such as electromagnetic forces). Additionally, some purported poltergeist activity is nothing more than fraud.

Devil, Demons, and Spirits

Poltergeist activity was commonly thought to be the work of devils or witches. An account from the late 1600's describes a "Stone-Throwing Devil", or "Lithobolia" that plagued a New Hampshire family. Objects both inside and outside the home were moved, rocks were thrown violently about, and the family members were personally attacked. An elderly neighbor was said to be suspected of witchcraft.[8] Particularly in superstitious times and/or cultures, witchcraft and demons were blamed for most poltergeist activity, as well as instances of crop failure or sickness. The idea of poltergeists as demons, however, is still present in much of Christian theological thought; some Christians believe that, since human dead are either in heaven or hell, and unable to roam the earth in the spirit world, that poltergeist activity must be the work of demons. Proponents of this theory argue that poltergeist activity has strong evidence of a conscious intelligence, and that the nature of poltergeist attacks is often annoying, malicious, and sometimes viciously dangerous, and is intended to confuse, bewilder, and frighten victims.[9]

Individual Entities

Some believe poltergeists may be the confused, lost, or angry spirits of the dead, unable to move beyond the "earthly plane". One version of this belief posits that poltergeists originate after a person dies in a powerful rage. In another theory, ghosts and poltergeists are nothing more than "recordings" from persons no longer present. When there is a powerful emotion, in death or life, a recording of such an energy is then "embedded" in a place, or in the "fabric of time" itself. This recording will continue to play over and over again until the energy embedded disperses. Others believe poltergeists simply exist, like the "elementals" described by occultists.

Some poltergeists have seemingly had distinct personalities and the ability to articulate themselves, which suggests some sort of self-awareness and intent. Practitioners of astral projection, such as author Robert Bruce, catagorise a number of beings that exist on the astral plane, and report the existence of unfriendly astral life forms, called "negs", who have the ability to harm as well as cause objects to move during psychic attacks.[10]

Poltergeist activity originates with agents

The observation that poltergeist activity often occurs around an "agent", or a person that seems to act as a magnet for the activity, has led to the idea that the agent him/herself may well be responsible for the activity. Agents are most often young; many are pre-pubescent. In the 1960's, researchers at the Psychical Research Foundation in Durham, North Carolina studied 116 written reports of poltergeist activity, and came to the conclusion that children and teenagers used subconcious psychokinetic (PK) abilities to express hostility without fear of punishment. Children were not aware that they were causing the disturbances, but were generally pleased that they occurred.[11] Interestingly enough, poltergeist activity can stop once the child goes through puberty, as in the case of Eleonore Zugan.[12]

A great deal of poltergeist cases seem to center around a single agent, and when that agent is not present, poltergeist activity ceases. In the case of the Miami Poltergeist, poltergeist activity only took place when the disgruntled employee Julio Vasquez was present. A Cuban refugee, Vasquez was unhappy in his job, was often depressed and angry, and had recently attempted suicide. On days Vasquez did not work, all was calm, but when he was present, and particularly if he was experiencing strong negative emotions, the poltergeist activity was frequent. This suggests that the mental state of the agent can influence or create poltergeist activity.[13]

Caused by physical forces

Some scientists propose that all poltergeist activity that they can't trace to fraud has a physical explanation such as static electricity, electromagnetic fields, ultra-, and infrasound and/or ionized air. In some cases, such as the Rosenheim poltergeist case, the physicist F. Karger from the Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik and G. Zicha from the Technical University of Munich found none of these effects present and psi proponents claim that no evidence of fraud was ever found, even after a sustained investigation from the police force and CID, though criminologist Herbert Schäfer quotes an unnamed detective watching the agent pushing a lamp when she thought nobody was looking. However, whether this is true or not, police officers did sign statements that they had witnessed the phenomena. John Hutchinson has claimed that he has created poltergeist effects in the lab. Also worth noting is that some scientists now propose that poltergeists and ball lightning may be linked phenomena. Some scientists go as far as calling them pseudo-psychic phenomena and claim that under some circumstances they are caused by obscure physical effects. and parapsychologists William G. Roll and Dean Radin, physicist Hal puthoff and head of electrical engineering at Duke University who specializes in electromagnetic field phenomena, claim that poltergeist phenomena [the movement of objects at least] could be caused by anomalies in the zero-point field, http://www.scientificexploration.org/jse/articles/pdf/17.1_roll.pdf, this is outlined in the above article and in Roll's book "unleashed" and mention is made of it in a chapter of Dean Radin's book "entangled mind." The basic theory is that poltergeist movements are repulsive versions of the casimir effect that can put pressures on objects. Thus, anomalies in this field could conceivably move objects. This theory has also been mentioned in the current book on paranormal phenomena "science" by Marie D. Jones http://www.amazon.com/PSIence-Discoveries-Existence-Paranormal-Phenomena/dp/1564148955 The theory is not complete, however, because it accounts for the movement of objects but not for the strange voices, seeming personality, and strange electrical effects displayed in some cases.

Self-delusion and hoaxes

Skeptics of poltergeist phenomena point out that humans can be easily fooled, either intentionally by others or by their own minds, into accepting that perfectly natural events have supernatural causes. A Kentucky family experienced a number of events that convinced them they had a poltergeist, including flying telephones, moving objects, and appliances that started by themselves. Upon investigation, it was determined that each of these incidents had a simple explaination, and the homeowners were relieved to find they did not in fact have a poltergeist.[14]

There have also been numerous cases of intentional fraud. Some create a fraudulent poltergeist for attention, some for entertainment, and others for publicity or monetary gain. Teenagers are often the culprit in cases of fraud. In 1984, fourteen year old Tina Resch perpetrated a poltergeist hoax on her adoptive parents, where telephones would fly across the room and lamps would swing and fall. Young Tina used the media attention to help her find her biological parents. A group of four North Dakota children terrorized their teacher and classmates with poltergeist pranks simply because they enjoyed the excitement and publicity.[15]

A common argument of critics of parapsychology is that paranormal investigators are blinded by their desire to believe in paranormal phenomena, and are thus oblivious of the possibility of fraud.


Poltergeists in fiction

Both the name and concept of the poltergeist became famous to modern audiences in the Poltergeist movies and the subsequent TV series Poltergeist: The Legacy. The first poltergeist movie actually gave an excellent depiction (during the first half of the film) of a "typical" poltergeist infestation, right down to the depiction of the focus as a prepubescent girl.


Notes

  1. Durwin, Joe. July 29, 2005. "A Poltergeist in Pownal?" These Mysterious Hills. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
  2. "Epworth Poltergeist" Monstrous. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
  3. Taylor, Troy. 1998. "The Livingston Wizard" Ghosts of the Prairie. Retrieved June 5, 2007.
  4. Haughton, Brian. 2003. "Eleonore Zugun - Poltergeist Girl" Mysterious People. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  5. Wallechinsky, David and Irving Wallace. 1981. "Biography of Electric Psychokinetic Anne-Marie Sch. Part 1" Trivia-Library.com. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  6. Bugliaro Goggia, Michele. April 12, 2007. "The Miami Poltergeist" Ufopsi Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  7. "5 Levels of a Poltergeist" Hauntanalyst.com. Retrived June 7, 2007.
  8. Brown, Janice. May 7, 2007. "New Hampshire Glossary: Lithobolia—The Stone Throwing Devil" Cow Hampshire. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  9. Ankerberg, John and John Weldon. [http://www.johnankerberg.com/Articles/theological-dictionary/TD1104W3.htm "Poltergeists - An Evaluation of a Demonic Phenomenon - Part 1"] Akerberg Theological Research Institute. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  10. Bruce, Robert. 2004. "Spirits, Angels, Origins and Relationships" Astral Dynamics. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  11. "Poltergeist" The Mystica. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  12. Haughton, Brian. 2003. "Eleonore Zugun - Poltergeist Girl" Mysterious People. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
  13. Bugliaro Goggia, Michele. April 12, 2007. "The Miami Poltergeist" Ufopsi Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
  14. Baker, Robert. June 2000. "The Case of the Missing Poltergeist" Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Retrieved June 7, 2007.
  15. Carroll, Robert. "Poltergeist" The Skeptic's Dictionary. Retrieved June 7, 2007.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Clarkson, Michael. 2006. Poltergeists: Examining Mysteries of the Paranormal. Firefly Books. ISBN 1554071623
  • Houran, James and Rense Lange (Editors). 2001. Hauntings and Poltergeists: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. McFarland and Company. ISBN 0786409843
  • Kettelkamp, Larry. 1980. Mischievous Ghosts: The Poltergeist and Pk. William Morrow & Co. ISBN 0688222439
  • Wilson, Colin. 2002. Poltergeist! Caxton Editions. ISBN 1840672846

External links


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