Skeptical Analysis
While many people believe in the existence of ghosts, skeptics feel that so-called supernatural events can be explained with the application of logic and common sense. Claims of ghostly phenomena are often countered with the argument that the simplest explanation for any event is often the most likely conclusion.
This application of Occam's Razor is demonstrated by raising the possibility of a hoax whenever supernatural activity is reported. For example, there are false mediums that rig seances to convince the unsuspecting client into paying money to hear from a deceased friend, lover or family member. The information the victim accepts as confidential might easily have been discovered with the use of a good private detective. Human physiology could explain reports of ghostly activity. Something glimpsed in the 'corner of the eye' is not necessarily evidence of an apparition. Peripheral vision is unfocused and doesn't provide sharp colors. A shifting curtain or a subtle change in ambient light could explain such an experience. Physical sensations associated with ghosts and ghostly activities include a drop in room temperature, or experiencing a chilling sensation on the skin. This could be explained by the fact that a natural physical reaction to fear is often manifested through a cold, clammy feeling that spreads over the skin. On the psychological front, the skeptic could argue that sightings and supernatural experiences occur because the party affected wants the experience to occur. The individual could potentially be so obsessed with events seen in movies or other media (eyes moving in paintings, creaking floorboards, floating semi-transparent specters) that they automatically project those visual/auditory cues onto any experience perceived as 'supernatural'. The ideas of a 'haunted house', or a graveyard where the dead come to life are ideas popularized in horror films and TV shows. A person susceptible to such imagery could easily project these explanations onto any location or site that fits the criteria seen in fictional stories.
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