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Scientist Builds "Haunted" House for Science
6 Nov
Summary
- A psychologist is creating a haunted house to study fear.
- The house will use environmental factors to create spooky sensations.
- The project is expected to cost £50,000 and take two years.
Professor Richard Wiseman, a psychologist known for researching unusual beliefs, is embarking on a novel project: constructing a "haunted house." His goal is to explore the psychological responses visitors have to environments designed to evoke feelings of being haunted. As a former magician, Wiseman plans to incorporate eerie lighting, electromagnetic fields, infrasound, and temperature fluctuations to simulate hauntings.
Wiseman theorizes that these environmental factors, rather than supernatural entities, are responsible for people's "haunted" experiences. Previous studies by Wiseman in locations like Hampton Court Palace and Edinburgh Vaults observed similar sensations occurring in areas with natural physical phenomena. He aims to control these variables in his new house.
Other experts, like Professor Chris French, believe Wiseman's artificial haunting environment could significantly advance the understanding of haunting psychology. The project, still in its early stages, is expected to get underway in approximately two years, with an estimated cost of £50,000. Funding is a key challenge, as Wiseman anticipates needing commercial or media-related sponsorship.
