Have YOU seen a ghost? Study maps the 'uncanny' experiences we rarely talk about - and it turns out they're much more common than we thought

Have you seen a ghost, had an out–of–body–experience, or even experienced deja vu? 

If so, you're not alone – as a new study reveals these 'uncanny' experiences are much more common than we thought. 

Scientists from the Institute D'Or for Research and Education in Brazil surveyed more than 5,000 people to understand where and when these weird experiences happen, and how we try to make sense of them. 

The results revealed that most people have experienced a strange episode at some point in their lives. 

And surprisingly, these events are usually seen as a positive thing. 

Lead author Ronald Fischer said: 'Experiences like sensing a presence, having a vision, or feeling as though you are observing yourself from outside your own body are far more common in the general population than clinical diagnosis rates would suggest. 

'We observed that most people in our sample of over 5000 participants who report them are not unwell, and most describe them as neutral or positive – both at the time they occur and also when looking back and reflecting on that experience.'

For the study, the team surveyed 5,117 people about their experiences with 'nonordinary' events. 

This included overwhelming feelings of joy, awe, or fear, seeing visions, hearing voices, out–of–body experiences, feeling the presence of the deceased, near–death experiences, and lucid dreams. 

If they'd experienced one, the participants were quizzed about the context, including their mental state, where they were at the time, and how long the experience lasted. 

In addition, they were asked about who they thought might be responsible, whether it was gods, angels, spirits, or other entities – and why they might have been 'chosen'.

Finally, the participants were asked about how pleasant the experience was, and whether or not it had a lasting impact on their life. 

The results revealed that most people experience a nonordinary event alone, while 10 per cent have them in religious or spiritual settings. 

Most of these experiences are very quick, with more than a third of participants experiencing them two or three times. 

While a third of respondents said they didn't believe 'someone' had caused it, 15 per cent claimed it was caused by 'God or gods', while 11 per cent said the 'Holy Spirit' was behind it. 

While these experiences sound rather daunting, the results also showed that most people see them as a positive thing. 

Writing in their study, published in PLOS One, the researchers said: 'The results for the appraisal of joy/distress showed that an average of 49.68% of participants reported feeling some degree of joy or wellbeing during the experiences, while 24.53% perceived them as emotionally neutral and 25.79% felt some degree of suffering or discomfort.'

According to the researchers, the findings highlight just how complex non–ordinary experiences are. 

'For many people such experiences can be meaningful and lead to personal growth and insight,' Dr Fischer added. 

'Highlighting these possible positive outcomes is important to help people make sense of them and help to normalize them. 

'Importantly, we hope our work can help to remove stigma by focusing on the diverse ways that people experience and make sense of them. 

'However, we would also stress that if people feel that these experiences interfere with their daily activities, then they should talk to a professional or seek help from somebody that they trust.'

The news comes shortly after a scientist revealed the three key factors that make paranormal experiences more likely. 

Professor Melissa Maffeo, from Wake Forest University in North Carolina, argues some people are more susceptible to paranormal experiences.

This can be driven by environmental stimuli, neurological mix–ups and certain personality traits, she explained.

And when they combine, the human brain 'creates an experience of the supernatural' by misinterpreting the world.

'As a psychology professor, I often think about the subjectivity people use when interpreting experiences,' Professor Maffeo wrote on The Conversation.

'I wonder, then, if there are perfectly ordinary explanations for seemingly extraordinary experiences.

'Maybe a perfect storm of everyday factors can converge and trigger the sensation of a paranormal experience.'