Paranormal experiences often raise an important question: why do people interpret strange events as supernatural? Paranormal psychology explores the human side of unexplained encounters; from sleep paralysis and hallucinations to moral psychology and cultural beliefs about demons, spirits, and evil. These episodes examine how the mind interprets fear, belief, and unexplained phenomena.

The Psychology of Evil

What causes ordinary people to commit terrible acts? Psychologists have spent decades studying the nature of cruelty, moral disengagement, and the social forces that can push individuals toward violence. This episode explores how psychology explains behaviors that history once attributed to supernatural evil.

The History of Demonic Possession: When Illness Was Called a Demon

For centuries, unusual behavior, seizures, and psychological disorders were often interpreted as demonic possession. This episode examines how historical misunderstandings of mental illness shaped religious beliefs and folklore about demons and possession.

The Rosenhan Experiment: Being Sane in Insane Places

In 1973, eight healthy people walked into psychiatric hospitals across the United States and said they were hearing voices. Every one of them was admitted.