Pareidolia is a term that is commonly used in the field of parapsychology, describing the subconscious tendency to perceive meaningful patterns in random information, whether visual or auditory. This phenomenon explains why people might see shapes and faces in clouds, the man in the moon, the face on Mars, or hear eerie voices in records played backwards.

In the context of hauntings and other psychic phenomena, pareidolia can lead to misinterpretations, mistaking ordinary objects or sounds for ghostly apparitions or voices. For example, seeing a face in a random pattern of shadows or hearing a voice in the static of a recording are classic examples of pareidolia at work. When someone believes they are in a haunted location or is already primed to expect paranormal activity, their mind is more likely to interpret ambiguous stimuli as something supernatural.

Our brains are wired to recognise patterns, a trait that has been advantageous for...