In the spirit of Halloween, staff writer Cate Alspaugh asked UNC community members whether or not they believe in ghosts.
Sophomore Perry Carter heard that Alderman Residence Hall has a ghost who sits in a rocking chair.
She’s not the only one with a UNC ghost story. From the Carolina Inn to Gimghoul Castle, there are multiple places on campus rumored to be haunted. But this interest with the paranormal isn’t specific to UNC.
Religious studies professor Barbara Ambros said she has noticed scholars approaching ghosts in three ways.
“On the one hand, there are those who try to debunk them, and they try to provide some kind of scientific theory to show that they’re not really there,” she said. “Others have turned to psychology and have said, ‘It’s about the power of suggestiveness.’ The third approach studies ghost stories as folklore.
“Not many of us try to prove that Bigfoot exists, but we may study the people who try to,” Ambros said.
“I believe in energy. Since the beginning of Earth, there’s been no input or output of energy. And I think when you go into a room and someone’s had a fight there, there are pheromones and a little extra charge in the room.”
