Glossary

Below is a glossary of commonly used terms in the field of parapsychology. Please note that this list is constantly being added to by the EPIC Team. If there is a term or concept that you believe should be included on this list, please e-mail us and we will take it under consideration for inclusion on this list.

Afterlife:  The belief that the human soul or spirit survives after it leaves the body from cause of death.

Amorphous:  Having no definite form or shape, spirits and ghosts often appears in mist-like forms or shapes.

Anomalies:  An irregular or unusual event which does not fit a standard rule or law.  An anomaly is something which cannot be explained by currently accepted scientific theories.  Anything weird, abnormal, strange, odd, or difficult to classify is considered an anomaly.

Apparition:  The phenomenon where a spirit takes on a physical form that can be seen.

Benign Spirit:  A spirit that is not harmful.

Cold Spot:  An area where a spirit uses the energy at a focus point to manifest or communicate, leaving the area colder than the surrounding area.

Collective Apparition:  An apparition seen by several people at the same time.

Cryptozoology:  The study of rumored animals that are presumed to exist, but for which conclusive proof does not yet exist, or for animals which are generally considered extinct, but are occasionally reported.

Dematerialization:  The paranormal fading or disappearance of a physical object.

Demon:  The identity of a spirit acting as destructive, evil and violent destroyer, non- living.

Direct Contact:  When a soul or entity touches a living person or object physically.

Disembodied:  A spirit that is functioning without a body.

Disembodied Voice: When the voice of a spirit is heard by the ears of humans without amplification or use of recording devices

Electromagnetic Field (EMF):  Naturally occurring electric and magnetic fields around electrical appliances and objects conduct electricity.  At times, EMFs without obvious sources seem connected with paranormal activity.  It is believed spirits are made up of electromagnetic energy that can be detected and measured.  EMFs can have various effects on the human body at elevated levels.  One of the most common effects of elevated EMF is the sensation of being watched, or a creepy paranoia-type feeling.  Measurements of EMF can often play a role in debunking claims of paranormal activity.

EMF Detector: A device that measures and detects changes in the electromagnetic field.

EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon):  An occurrence by which a spirit uses an electrical recording device and its energy to verbally communicate, at a frequency higher that the human ear can hear.  It can only be heard once the recording is played back.

EVP Class A:  A loud, clear and very understandable EVP.

EVP Class B:  A clear and somewhat understandable EVP.

EVP Class C:  A faint and non-understandable EVP.

Gauss Meter:  A device that is used to measure the electromagnetic field, also referred to as EMF detectors or magnetometers.

Ghost: A ghost is believed to be the soul or the life force of a person.

Haunted:  A person, place or an object to which a spirit is attached.  The spirits can be human or inhuman in nature.

Haunting:  Paranormal phenomena such as apparitions, unexplained sounds, smells or other sensations that are associated over a lengthy period of time with a specific location.

Inanna: Inanna is the goddess of love and is one of the Sumerian war deities. She stirs confusion and chaos against those who are disobedient to her, speeding carnage and inciting the devastating flood, clothed in terrifying radiance. It is her game to speed conflict and battle, untiring, strapping on her sandals.

Intelligent Haunting:  Paranormal activity that takes place around a person or location that is caused by an intelligent or conscious spirit.  It can interact with humans, answer questions, and is affected by the actions or humans.  These spirits are aware of their surroundings and what is going on around them.

Materialization:  The formation of a visible physical form of a spirit. 

Matrixing:  When the mind attempts to manifest images as something they are  not.

Paranormal:  Phenomena which seem to defy the known laws of science.

Paranormal Activity:  Any occurrence or activity that is not scientifically explainable.

Parapsychology:  Literally beyond psychology.  The study of apparent new means of communication, or interaction, between organisms and the environment beyond those presently understood by the scientific community.  It is the study of paranormal phenomena.

Poltergeist:  A general term applied to a variety of site-, or sometimes person-, specific physical phenomena.  These can include temperature variations, anomalous sounds, and movement of physical objects.  The word “poltergeist” literally means “noisy spirit” and was coined back when such phenomena were thought to be due to the presence of some sort of mischievous entity.  Currently, poltergeist phenomena are usually considered to be related either to unusual physical conditions at the affected site, or to be related to psychokinesis (alteration of the state of an object by mental influence alone, without any physical intervention). Anecdotal reports suggest that many poltergeist focus on an individual under some form of emotional stress.

Psychic Attack:  An attack that can either be physical or mental by a spirit.  

Residual Haunting:  A psychic imprint from the past in which audio or visual paranormal activity repeats itself at a location.  This activity is unaffected by the actions of humans.  This type of activity will not interact with investigators, and will occur regardless of whether anyone is there to witness it.

White Noise:  A static-like hiss sound, formed by combining all audible frequencies.