Gerhard A. Mayer, Sonja Nowara
Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, Freiburg, Germany; Independent Researcher, Bonndorf, Germany
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Introduction: Ghosthunting (GH) is a leisure activity that has become increasingly popular in the first decade of the new millennium, first in the USA as a result of reality TV series, and then in Europe. Ghosthunters are people who get together in small groups and, in their free time, visit places that are supposedly haunted. Some groups also investigate poltergeist cases in private households. The main objective is to detect and record alleged paranormal phenomena using various technical devices such as audio and video recorders, EMF meters, and ambient temperature measurement devices.
Most studies published to date on ghosthunting are based on the analysis of self-portrayals of ghosthunting groups on websites, sometimes supplemented by interviews. Systematic surveys of personal motivations, beliefs, and other personal aspects of ghosthunters have not yet been conducted. The aim of this research project is to better understand the phenomenon of GH in Germany and the people who pursue this time-consuming and resource-intensive leisure activity.
Methods: All 35 active German ghosthunting groups known to us were informed about the research project and encouraged to participate in two online surveys. The second questionnaire, addressed to individuals, consisted of four parts: sociodemographic data; questions about becoming a ghosthunter and individual explanation models; the Questionnaire on the Phenomenology of Exceptional Experiences (PExE-II) with 20 items measuring extraordinary experiences on dimensions of external-internal and coincidence-dissociation; and 44 items of the Belief in the Supernatural Scale (BitSS). Data was collected anonymously between October and December 2023 using LimeSurvey.
Results: We received 39 evaluable data sets. Mean age was 45 years (SD=9.3; Median=46). 56% were female, 44% male. The majority (36%) felt they belonged to Christianity, with 21% atheists and 9% agnostics. 61.5% stated that previous paranormal experiences had played a central role in starting ghosthunting. The most intriguing part for almost everyone is contact with the paranormal or supernatural (95%), followed by the specific history of the location (74%). Almost 85% consider paranormal phenomena as signs from the deceased, spirits, or other entities. Ghosthunters report more extraordinary experiences and higher belief in the supernatural than student comparison samples.
Discussion: This exploratory study found some expected results, such as ghosthunters experiencing more exceptional experiences than a student sample because they actively search for them. Others are rather unexpected, such as the fact that 85% believe in a connection between suspected paranormal phenomena and the deceased or ghosts, while 30% describe themselves as atheists or agnostics. This speaks for a high acceptance of the survival hypothesis, which is apparently not tied to a belief in God or the divine.
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Gerhard A. Mayer is a researcher at the Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health (IGPP) in Freiburg, Germany, focusing on exceptional experiences and cultural aspects of paranormal beliefs. Sonja Nowara is an independent researcher in Bonndorf, Germany, with expertise in the German ghosthunting community.
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Published on March 19, 2026
