Classifying a Haunting

Okay, so now we know how to debunk most paranormal activity, but what happens when you are left with evidence or claims that you can't disprove? Most people would declare the location haunted, likely claiming that it was the ghost of old Fred from down the road who died 150 years ago after drowning in the river during a storm after he got lost in the fog and fell in. There are a few problems with this right off the bat. First and foremost, descriptions like this are often FAR too specific. It is incredibly difficult to determine exactly what/who is causing paranormal activity, let alone getting an entire family history. Secondly, and more to the point, just because there is proven evidence of paranormal activity, it doesn't necessarily mean that there is a ghost haunting it. What if I told you that just because a place is deemed haunted, it doesn't mean that there is a ghost in that location? Or that ghosts and spirits are actually different things? And how would you even begin classifying it? In his YouTube video, The Difference Between A Ghost And A Spirit, Grant Wilson, a well respected paranormal investigator and member of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society), shows a graph which I will be using here. it gives a great visual representation of the classifications of paranormal activity.

The graph does a great job of giving you an idea of what to look for, but we can break it down even further, and make it easy to know what you are dealing with.

So, all Spirits are ghosts, all ghosts are entities, and all entities are part of a haunting, however, the order can never go in reverse. By using the graph and the list together, you can can not only get a better idea of what you are dealing with, but you can tailor your investigations or general behavior to better interact with forces you can't see.

On a final note, it is very important to remember that when dealing with an intelligent human haunting, you are dealing with a person. They may be confused, or scared, or even angry, but they are still just people. Treat them the way you would anyone else. Be respectful, be understanding, and be accommodating.