A ghost-busting psychologist hopes to create his own 'haunted house' where spooky phenomena can be summoned at the flick of a switch.
Dr Richard Wiseman believes ghostly experiences can be explained by a combination of fear, and effects such as electromagnetic fields, temperature changes and low rumblings.

He plans to put his theory to the test by having control over a spooky environment.

Dr Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, told New Scientist magazine: "We want to build our own haunted house, so we are totally in control.

"It would give really important scientific results, produce a huge amount of publicity, and go down in history."

Dr Wiseman believes unusual environmental effects play an important role in many ghostly sensations, and may even account for some sightings.
There is also evidence that even a small drop in temperature can set the hairs standing on end, as can certain types of lighting and the shapes and sizes of rooms.

Such effects were seen in investigations undertaken by Dr Wiseman at two prime haunted sites, Hampton Court Palace near London and the South Bridge Vaults beneath a Victorian Bridge in Edinburgh.

"We showed people had odd experiences in the same places, and now we know they're based on environmental factors," said Dr Wiseman.

In his haunted house, visitors would be terrified by speakers emitting infrasound, electrical coils hidden behind pictures, and sudden draughts generated from vents in skirting boards.

There would also be control over lighting, the lay-out of rooms, and features within the rooms.

Interesting.

I wonder if Wiseman was inspired by the Haunted House at Disneyland.

Many of the features built into his house design are already used there in the name of fun not science.

How are those spooky effect at Disney Haunted house? I never thought about it, but since Disney was a freak, his haunted house must be freaky.

Is there actually any genuine unatural spooky phenomena or just normal hollywood special effect?

Optical illusions in elevators

Temperature changes and drafts

Holograms, light shows and mirror tricks

Sound effects and possibly some subliminal stuff

Not as spectacular as say, the Pirates Of The Carribean or Indiana Jones rides, but good FX.

Well, this proves my theory that psychologists are idiots.

I just don't see how his findings could possibly be interesting to anyone else except fellow idiots.