Before we talk about ghosts, haunted houses, or strange noises in the hallway at 3 a.m., we need to talk about something far less dramatic but far more powerful: the human brain. Specifically, the shortcuts our brains take when interpreting the world. These shortcuts are called biases. A bias is not the same thing as a belief, although people often mix the two together. Understanding the difference is important — especially when we’re dealing with paranormal claims. So let’s start there. What Is a Bias? A bias is a mental shortcut our brain uses to process information quickly. Psychologists call these shortcuts cognitive biases. They exist because the brain is constantly trying to save time and energy. Instead of analysing every single piece of information from scratch, the brain uses patterns, assumptions, and previous experiences to fill in the gaps. Most of the time, this is incredibly useful. If you see something long and thin moving through grass, your brain might instantly think snake. That reaction could save your life. The brain is designed to react quickly, not perfectly. But these shortcuts can also lead us to interpret things incorrectly, especially in situations where the information is incomplete, emotional, or mysterious. Which — not surprisingly — describes many paranormal situations. How a Bias Is Different From a Belief A belief is something you consciously accept as true. You might believe in ghosts, spirits, or an afterlife. Someone else might believe that all paranormal experiences have natural explanations. These beliefs come from culture, upbringing, personal experience, religion, or philosophical outlook. Beliefs are deliberate positions. They are things we can discuss, argue about, change, or defend. A bias, on the other hand, often operates below conscious awareness. You usually don’t notice it happening. A belief is like choosing a destination on a map. A bias is like the wind pushing your boat slightly off course without you realising it.

What makes you keep watching the youtubers who go out investigating? Do you have a special team that you watch and why?

There’s a moment most people remember clearly. The first time something happens that doesn’t fit neatly into logic, coincidence, or polite conversation. It’s often a small feeling. A name that drops into your head for no obvious reason. A sudden emotional wave that doesn’t belong to the moment you’re standing in. Nothing dramatic enough to justify a movie soundtrack but just enough to quietly unsettle the way you understand reality. For some people, that moment is brushed aside. A strange day. A tired brain. An overactive imagination. But for others, it lingers and repeats. It taps them on the shoulder when they’re not looking for it. Spiritual mediumship has been romanticised, mocked, sensationalised, commercialised, and outright misunderstood. Depending on who you ask, it’s either a sacred calling, a parlour trick, a psychological glitch, or something you should never mention at dinner unless you enjoy awkward silences and weird looks. Most of what people think they know about it comes from television shows, horror films, or that one person you know who swears she “just knows things” but can’t quite explain how. Mediumship, at its core, isn’t about seeing dead people wandering around your lounge room or being permanently plugged into another dimension. It’s about perception and about sensitivity. It’s about the ability — sometimes learned, sometimes stumbled into — to notice information that doesn’t arrive through the usual five senses. Most importantly, it’s about learning how to tell the difference between what’s meaningful and what’s simply mental noise and this is often the bit that confuses people the most. One of the biggest misconceptions about mediumship is that it arrives fully formed, like a gift wrapped neatly with instructions. In reality, most people who feel drawn to it don’t wake up one day announcing they’re a medium. They experience confusion first. Doubt. A strong argument with themselves about whether they’re making things up. They spend years trying to rationalise what they’re noticing, often hoping it will go away so they can get on with normal life.