Feeling Stressed? You May be More Likely to Believe in Spooky Phenomena

People who feel they have less control over their lives are more likely to embrace the paranormal.

By Paul Smaglik
Nov 14, 2024 9:00 PMNov 14, 2024 8:59 PM
Paranormal beliefs
(Credit: Kseniya Ivashkevich/Shutterstock)

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Do you believe in psychics, ghosts, or communication with the dead? If so, you may be experiencing a high level of stress or feel a loss of control over your life, according to a study in PLOS ONE.

While the study’s authors took great pains to emphasize that the beliefs in paranormal phenomena are not necessarily caused by stress or feelings of having no control, they point out that the relationship between the two are strong.

“Findings support the notion that traditional paranormal belief is associated with external control, specifically the notion that unknown supernatural forces/powers influence existence,” the authors of the study said in a press release.

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