Ouija boards: three factors that might explain why they appear to work for some

[openozy]

1 hour ago, Hankenhunter said:

It would help explain poltergeists. Would be cool to have a talent like tk. I think it would be a double edged sword though. The opportunities for misuse would be legion.

Hank, the more I've delved into and experienced the paranormal the more I believe most if not all of it originates from our thoughts. This might please skeptical people but it's far more complicated and tangible than most of them might be comfortable with. It would explain ghost sightings, Bigfoot and poltergeist experiences and most everything associated with this. I might be wrong but it does make sense, to me anyway. Other times unthinkable, unexpected entities pop up so I'm still fence sitting for the moment.

[preacherman76]

There used to be a guy here named iron ghost. He had the best spirit board stories. I don’t know if there was any truth to any of it, but very fun to read. 

[openozy]

On 11/5/2022 at 8:52 PM, XenoFish said:

Yep, hallucinations.

Not when in a group unless everyones on mushies.

[XenoFish]

56 minutes ago, openozy said:

Not when in a group unless everyones on mushies.

https://psychology.fandom.com/wiki/Mass_hallucination#:~:text=A mass hallucination is a,Mary%2C and other paranormal phenomena.

[openozy]

7 hours ago, XenoFish said:

https://psychology.fandom.com/wiki/Mass_hallucination#:~:text=A mass hallucination is a,Mary%2C and other paranormal phenomena.

That's if it's pointed out by someone either hallucinating or BSing. What if it's not? What if it's something tangible like a knife being thrown from nothing. Thanks for the link on that. I can see that being the case with some religious visions.

[XenoFish]

1 hour ago, openozy said:

That's if it's pointed out by someone either hallucinating or BSing. What if it's not? What if it's something tangible like a knife being thrown from nothing. Thanks for the link on that. I can see that being the case with some religious visions.

I honest don't care. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the paranormal and supernatural don't exist outside our heads. It's all just a head trip. 

This includes supposed psychic phenomena as well. It is nothing.

[openozy]

52 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

I honest don't care. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the paranormal and supernatural don't exist outside our heads. It's all just a head trip. 

This includes supposed psychic phenomena as well. It is nothing.

Fair enough but why bother commenting on these threads, you must have some interest still. I get like that with it sometimes because it does your head in trying to figure out what maybe as you say is nothing. If it is I've had some wild trips while I've been here. 

[XenoFish]

1 hour ago, openozy said:

Fair enough but why bother commenting on these threads, you must have some interest still. I get like that with it sometimes because it does your head in trying to figure out what maybe as you say is nothing. If it is I've had some wild trips while I've been here. 

If you've noticed I haven't commented much in this area for quite sometime. Few post here and there.

[Portre]

On 11/6/2022 at 1:19 AM, Piney said:

Intentions.

Whose intentions?

[Piney]

3 minutes ago, Portre said:

Whose intentions?

The users. 

[Portre]

On 11/7/2022 at 9:25 AM, Piney said:

The users. 

Are the users' intentions merged then focused or is it a competition?

[Piney]

2 hours ago, Portre said:

Are the users' intentions merged then focused or is it a competition?

They all decide who they want to "contact" usually. 

[+joc]

4 hours ago, Piney said:

They all decide who they want to "contact" usually. 

 Studies have shown that if you are driving down the road and you look either to the left or the right...your hands on the steering wheel will usually follow your eyes...and your car will begin to drift in that direction.  

The hands following the eyes is the key.  If your hands are 'hovering' they will tend to follow your eyes.  As our eyes wander over the board, they are following either conscious suggestions of others, conscious  thoughts  of our own, or suggestions from our subconscious.  The wild card is that both participants are looking at the same letters, numbers, whatever...because they both know what they are searching for.  

[the13bats]

I have been told things as riduculous as ouija are portals to hell, demons,  evil, but somehow Clue and monopoly games arent.

I use one for my DJ mouse pad at gigs it gets great laughs.

People make claims about ghost, spirts, entities, etc seeing them speaking with them people also make claims of speaking to God or Jesus and they talk back and this is all about faith and belief nothing proven its only what the experencer believes in their mind it only exists in the believers mind.

There is never evidence never proof only belief and faith and i evny those who that is enough for.

 

[Alchopwn]

As an aside that some people might find interesting.  Ouija boards on the whole work more poorly with fewer people.  A single user will normally get no results, and the same goes for 2 users.  The minimum number for results is 3 and the best number seems to be 4, with normally no more than 6.

The reason the Ouija board works is due to the ideomotor effect which in many ways is more mysterious than ghosts.  It is interesting that the ideomotor effect doesn't seem to function as well with fewer people involved in the ritual.

[+ouija ouija]

6 hours ago, Alchopwn said:

As an aside that some people might find interesting.  Ouija boards on the whole work more poorly with fewer people.  A single user will normally get no results, and the same goes for 2 users.  The minimum number for results is 3 and the best number seems to be 4, with normally no more than 6.

The reason the Ouija board works is due to the ideomotor effect which in many ways is more mysterious than ghosts.  It is interesting that the ideomotor effect doesn't seem to function as well with fewer people involved in the ritual.

Thank you for this. I found out that I can't use the board on my own but with just one other person it would work. The only other number I tried was three . . . and one ran off as soon as the glass began to move! It seems logical to me that it would work best with just one person but that is not the case.

[Alchopwn]

3 hours ago, ouija ouija said:

Thank you for this. I found out that I can't use the board on my own but with just one other person it would work. The only other number I tried was three . . . and one ran off as soon as the glass began to move! It seems logical to me that it would work best with just one person but that is not the case.

Yeah, it's odd, isn't it?  Your supposition about it working best with 1 person would seem to be completely reasonable, and yet we both know that isn't so.  Do you suppose that the more people are involved the more "unconscious" the group becomes?  I don't want to say that the situation defaults to the level of the person with the most fear and neuroses.  Wait, nah, F-it, I think I do.  As you correctly point out, 1 person CAN get results, if they know how to suspend their disbelief.  On the other hand, get a group together and one jittery spooked out believer and you have a real party.

Do you think it is a case of "fear is the mind killer"?

Edited November 11, 2022 by Alchopwn

[+ouija ouija]

Can you explain what you mean by 'fear is the mind killer'?

[Inn Spectre]

Try using one with all participants blindfolded.

[the13bats]

5 hours ago, Inn Spectre said:

Try using one with all participants blindfolded.

Thats a bit intriguing because if it was being moved by something on the other side no one playing would need to see the board.

The thing is i dont believe there is anything paranormal about a Ouija board i do believe that some folks are very sincere and have no clue its their mind not a spookie controlling movements.

[Occupational Hubris]

8 hours ago, Inn Spectre said:

Try using one with all participants blindfolded.

Penn and Teller did this years gao on their show "Bullsh!t". Unsuprisingly, the participants did not get meaningful answers. 

[the13bats]

27 minutes ago, Occupational Hubris said:

Penn and Teller did this years gao on their show "Bullsh!t". Unsuprisingly, the participants did not get meaningful answers. 

And believers blamed penn and teller.

[Occupational Hubris]

2 minutes ago, the13bats said:

And believers blamed penn and teller.

I mean, with a quick search you can find a bunch of the same tests on youtube with the same results. I'm sure it's googles fault for "not beliving hard enough" or some other dumbass excuse. 

[the13bats]

10 minutes ago, Occupational Hubris said:

I mean, with a quick search you can find a bunch of the same tests on youtube with the same results. I'm sure it's googles fault for "not beliving hard enough" or some other dumbass excuse. 

Right, i admit im a skeptic and i understand how frustrating it is for believers to never ever have proof but come on dont cop out and place the blame on me.

[openozy]

4 hours ago, the13bats said:

The thing is i dont believe there is anything paranormal about a Ouija board

There isn't and as been said many times the board is just a board.