Let me start by saying, that this article is not a suggestion for everyone to rush out and buy themselves a Ouija Board and start communicating with the dead. Skeptic though I am, from a "better-safe-than-sorry" standpoint, I'd say avoid it. Heck, from an "it's-a-stupid-game-anyway" standpoint, I'd say avoid it. If you're just itching to play a Parker Bros Game, stick with Monopoly, at least then you get the enjoyment of a little bald guy wearing a monocle.
So, the first question on everyone's lips: have I ever used a Ouija Board? The answer is no. No more than I've ever "used" Monopoly, or Hungry Hungry Hippos, or Clue. So, change that question up a bit. Have I ever "played" with a Ouija Board? The answer is yes. A few times with my brother and aunt who was babysitting us at the time. Did we ever experience any paranormal or malicious forces acting out after that fateful night? No. Did the Ouija Board give us strange and sometimes frightening answers to our childlike questions? Absolutely. Do I know what was causing the "pointer" to move on its own? Absolutely. I was. And later, I found out, so was my brother. Then still later (years later, in fact), I found out, so was my aunt.
Herein lies the first answer to the great mysteries of the Ouija Board -- someone's moving that freaking little pointer thing. That's the only maliciousness behind the dreaded game, the fact that other people get a kick out of scaring someone else. I'm a little ashamed to admit, that I was once a person like this...and apparently so was my aunt, and so was my brother. Granted, my brother and I were about 10 and 11 respectively, and my aunt was about 19, so we've matured over time. But what about all the people who have used a Ouija Board and experienced demonic infestations and inexplicable poltergeist activity directly related to the use of the board? I'm getting to that. But first, I want to delve into the second great mystery of the Ouija Board.
Is it possible that there are some people out there who utilize this "bored" game and honestly do not move it, but then experience strange and telling answers from a pointer that seems to drag their hands along with it? Yes. But what happens when you blindfold the "players." What? You've never tried? Well guess what? Other people have. James Randi had people use the board when they were unable to see it, and the resulting answers were a random assortment of letters. Penn and Teller went a step further, asking only yes or no questions, and turning the board upside down (unbeknownst to the players). Their hands would drift to where "Yes" and "No" were supposed to be, but instead found empty space. Good times, yes, but what causes the movements of the freaking pointer thing when people swear that they are not moving anything?
The answer lies in a psychological phenomenon known as the Ideometer Effect, where subjects make motions unconsciously, typically through unconscious suggestion, clues, or desires. If a seance is going on, and the people really want to hear a "yes" to the question of murder and other horrible questions, then chances are that their hands will guide them there via the Ideometer Effect. Not convinced? We're going to tackle the issue more in our Research and Development section.
So, if I take the stance of "better-safe-than-sorry" when it comes to not using the Ouija Board, why is it so important to make a point as to the harmlessness of the object? In normal, everyday life, I don't think that there is a point. But, in the field of paranormal investigation, it is absolutely essential that we understand, because we may walk into a home with a lot of activity, ask the owners if they've used a Ouija Board, and assume that the use of the board is the root of all their problems. This level of assumption could be disastrous for the client, especially if an inhuman or demonic force is behind their strife.
Given the popularity of the board, and the number of units sold over the decades, we must do further research as to the ratio of boards sold to paranormal experiences caused. I hypothesize that we will find a very low correlation (more data to come in R&D). If the Ouija Board is not a cause of negative paranormal activity, and I'll be honest with you, I'm highly dubious, then we need to be looking for another source. Sure, we should ask if they have used a Ouija Board as part of our interviewing process, but let's not all jump up and assume that the Ouija Board is the cause of their dilemma.
Be safe in your investigations.
Matthew Vickers
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