Ouija boards: three factors that might explain why they appear to work for some

By Megan Kenny, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Sheffield Hallam University

Despite being around for more than 100 years, Ouija boards (a wooden board covered with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9 and the words “yes”, “no” and “goodbye”) continue to be a popular activity – especially around Halloween. To work, all participants must place their hands on the wooden pointer (or planchette) and ask any present “spirits” to answer their questions by moving the planchette around the board to spell out their response.

While some see it as a harmless parlour game, others swear by the board’s ability to communicate with those who have passed to the “other…

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