Some quick observations on the effect of circumstances on observations

Thinking about the apparent effect that unexplained phenomena have on paranormal researchers, I was reminded of an event I experienced quite a few years ago. It wasn't anything related to the paranormal, or even anything extraordinary.

I was with a bunch of middle-level managers on a team-building retreat. Yeah, this was maybe twenty-two or -three years ago. Anyway, one of the exercises was to climb a rope ladder to a large limb of an oak tree. I think it was oak because the branch was a good 18" (.5m) diameter and horizontal. Yeah, a really big tree. The limb was about 25' up (7m). Not that high, and big enough to walk along. And there were guide ropes, too.

Thing is, some of the managers were afraid of heights, and the prospect of climbing that rope ladder up to the limb and walking out along it, even with a harness and ropes around them, really terrified them. And I mean they were really, really afraid.

The phenomenon I observed was how their fear translated to others. In particular, to me. I am not afraid of heights, or of climbing rope ladders or walking along limbs. But when it came time to climb, and armed with the expectation and dread of the others, I found my heart really pounding as I climbed that ladder. Once I was on the limb it was no problem. There was really no reason to be afraid of falling. I've climbed lots of trees, and this was nothing new. The atmosphere of fear and trepidation had been very heavy among those of us waiting to climb, even among us that had no particular reason to be afraid.

I think they call this mob mentality, and it's real. So next time you're with a bunch of excited and excitable paranormal researchers walking around in the dark of some old house or building in the middle of the night, and there's a sound or something moves and everyone jumps, just remember that a major part of your fear comes not from the unexpected, but from the others.