Apparitions
Apparitions are reported visual experiences of figures or entities that appear without an identifiable physical source.
Overview
Key Insight
Apparition reports appear frequently in folklore and personal narratives about unusual experiences.
Scientific Status
Psychology and neuroscience often interpret apparition experiences as perceptual phenomena related to sleep states, hallucinations, or pattern recognition. They are studied as subjective experiences, not as evidence of external entities.
How Researchers Study It
Researchers use interviews, sleep studies, and neuroimaging. Conditions such as sleep paralysis, hypnagogia, and grief are examined as contributing factors.
Quick Facts
- Field
- psychology, neuroscience
- Related Concepts
- sensed presence, sleep paralysis, hallucination
- Typical Context
- perceptual and sleep research
Related Terms
FAQ
Do apparitions prove the existence of ghosts?
No. Science treats apparition experiences as perceptual or psychological phenomena without confirming an external physical source.