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"Whatever else, indeed, a 'ghost' may be, it is probably one of the most complex phenomena in nature."
F.W.H.Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research.

TACTICS: Our Aims, Approach & Equipment

The primary aim of Strange Occurrences is to help people who have experienced or observed phenomena they can't explain. In doing this, we hope to:

• Identify and discover the causes of the reported supernatural or strange occurrence.
• Learn about the nature of paranormal experience.
• Help people to be more understanding of and open minded about the paranormal.
• Through the media, contribute to an understanding and greater knowledge of paranormal phenomena.
• Foster cooperation and collaboration among the various paranormal investigation teams and interest groups in New Zealand and abroard.
  
• Have fun doing all of the above. We are in this because of personal interest and scientific curiousity, not for the money (there is none) or the attention.

Our Approach to Paranormal Investigation

Paranormal events are usually sporadic and unpredictable, sometimes totally random; quite the opposite of the controlled, repeatable events that are amenable to testing by established scientific method. For this reason and also because much so-called paranormal research is conducted using unscientific methods, the entire field of paranormal investigation tends to be regarded as pseudoscience.

We agree; this is largely true. While we can develop and test hypotheses, it is not currently possible to develop proper theories because we do not have controllable phenomena to experiment with. For example, we cannot validate a theory that predicts that when a spirit materialises there will be a temperature drop, because we cannot definitely produce a spirit to test the theory on.

Long-term, we strive to develop a scientific method and approach suited to studying spontaneous phenomena. In the meantime, we can at least try to avoid working with an assumption-driven, belief-led approach (see essay link below). By the same token, we are not hardline debunkers either. That would involve the belief that ghosts absolutely do not exist - a fixed position - and we endeavour to be open minded.

We collect evidence, make observations and develop hypotheses to explain them. We always look for a natural explanation and never assume a paranormal cause. We are neutral, enquiring, cautious and sceptical (but not cynical). We do not jump to conclusions; rather, we're prepared to go where the evidence leads us.

During an investigation we usually record video footage, digital and analog sound, and we take still photos. We examine all our recordings closely for unusual effects. A single inexplicable thing caught on tape or film doesn't necessarily prove there's a ghost, but if it coincides with unusual EMF readings, temperature fluctuations and things we observe with our own senses and feelings, the cumulative evidence may suggest that something strange is occurring.

We employ a method of examining sites that involves some investigators having no foreknowledge of the reported experiences or the history of the place. This enables us to later weigh their more objective observations against those of investigators who are looking for a specific thing. We also work in pairs or groups during investigations, never alone. This is for safety reasons as well as for corroboration of observations.

Recent Media coverage for Strange Occurrences

• Radio NZ Documentary by Justin Gregory for Spectrum programme, 6/12/09 (27 mins).

• TV3 Nightline video investigating two Wellington locations, September 2009.

Essays on this site:

• Orbs - most are not supernatural

• The Need to Question What We Do
  Assumption-driven investigation vs scientific method

• What to do if you have a paranormal experience

Equipment

Here is a selection of the gear we regularly use:

EMF meters        Thermometers

Recorders         Cameras

    Tool kit       Library + NZ Books

Oscilloscope, monitors  Communications, safety

Other stuff

Old School/New School

You may sense, from the design of this website among other things, that our approach to paranormal investigation is somewhat Old School. Although we have some high tech equipment, we are more influenced by the famous ghost hunters of the 20th century; Harry Price, Elliott O'Donnell, Andrew MacKenzie (a Kiwi!), Peter Underwood, et al. We take ideas and lessons from their low-tech methodology and combine it with the New School approach employed by investigation teams such as TAPS. (Having said that, I'm sure the TAPS guys also respect the old school methods.)

We don't have blind faith in technology for its own sake. Whatever is lugged into the investigation site, it's all just equipment - dumb machinery - and it has to be used with thoughtfulness and intelligence.

"Whatever high tech equipment you use, remember to connect it to your brain, otherwise it's useless."

"A deeply emotional thought, for example, may have capabilities little dreamed of by its conceiver; effects not merely transient nor confined to a lifetime, nor limited to any definite number of years nor to any limited space."
Elliott O'Donnell, from 'Haunted Britain', 1948.

Contact: j.d.gilberd@gmail.com - James Gilberd.