In German folklore and ghost stories, a poltergeist (pronounced /ˈp oʊ l t ər ˌɡ aɪ s t/ or /ˈp ɒ l t ər ˌɡ aɪ s t/; German: [ˈpɔltɐɡaɪ̯st]; meaning "rumbling ghost" or "noisy spirit") is a type of ghost or spirit that causes physical problems, such as loud noises and objects being moved or broken. Many stories and reports describe poltergeists as being able to pinch, bite, hit, or trip people. They are also said to move or float objects like furniture and utensils, or make sounds like knocking on doors. Unpleasant smells, sudden fires, and electrical problems, such as lights flickering, are also linked to poltergeist events.

These events have been reported in many cultures and countries, including Brazil, Australia, the United States, Japan, and most European nations. The earliest recorded cases of poltergeists date back to the 1st century.

Some people who doubt the existence of ghosts believe poltergeists are caused by young people playing tricks on adults who believe in them.

Etymology

The word poltergeist is made up of two German words: poltern, which means "to make noise or rumble," and Geist, which means "ghost" or "spirit." The term poltergeist is translated as "noisy ghost," "rumbling ghost," or "loud spirit."

Suggested explanations

Many people claim that poltergeist activity explains strange events, including those reported by modern ghost hunters. However, evidence supporting these claims has not been proven true when carefully examined. Many cases once thought to be poltergeist activity have been found to be faked or hoaxes.

Psychical researcher Frank Podmore suggested that some poltergeist cases involve a child, often a girl, who may throw objects to scare others for attention. Skeptical investigator Joe Nickell stated that many reported poltergeist incidents are caused by someone trying to cause trouble. Nickell also noted that witnesses sometimes exaggerate what they see or hear.

Unsubstantiated claims include:
• The Stockwell ghost (1772) – active since 1825
• Ballechin House (1876)
• The Enfield poltergeist claim (1977) – John Beloff and Anita Gregory found the claimants were tricking investigators.
• The Columbus poltergeist case (1984)

A claim of activity at Caledonia Mills (1899–1922) was studied by Walter Franklin Prince. He concluded that strange fires and events were due to a psychological condition called dissociation.

Nandor Fodor investigated the Thornton Heath poltergeist case (1938). He believed the events were linked to psychological issues and wrote, "The poltergeist is not a ghost. It is a bundle of projected repressions."

Research in anomalistic psychology suggests that poltergeist claims can be explained by psychological factors like illusions, memory errors, or wishful thinking. A study by Lange and Houran (1998) stated that poltergeist experiences are delusions caused by how people interpret unclear events. Psychologist Donovan Rawcliffe noted that most investigated poltergeist cases involve trickery, while others may involve hallucinations.

Carl Gustav Jung, a psychoanalyst, studied poltergeists and the occult. He believed a female cousin’s trance states caused a dining table to split, and later found a broken bread knife. Jung also thought that a loud sound during a meeting with Sigmund Freud in 1909 was caused by his subconscious mind. Freud disagreed, saying the sound had a natural cause, such as the bookcase drying out.

Some scientists have proposed non-fraud and non-psychological explanations. Milbourne Christopher found that unusual air currents, like downdrafts from an uncovered chimney, could cause objects to move. In the 1950s, Guy William Lambert suggested that underground water movement might cause house vibrations or strange sounds. Later tests by Alan Gauld and Tony Cornell showed this idea was unlikely. Skeptic Trevor H. Hall argued that if Lambert’s theory were true, buildings would collapse. Richard Wiseman noted that the hypothesis was not proven.

Michael Persinger theorized that seismic activity might cause poltergeist-like events. However, his claims about geomagnetic effects on paranormal experiences have not been confirmed by other researchers.

David Turner, a retired chemist, suggested that ball lightning might explain objects moving in ways blamed on poltergeists.

• Sampford Peverell (1810–1811) – strange noises were found to be made by smugglers hiding behind a false wall.

Parapsychologists Nandor Fodor and William G. Roll proposed that poltergeist activity could be explained by psychokinesis, the supposed ability to move objects with the mind.

Historically, people believed malicious spirits caused poltergeist-like events, such as objects moving on their own. Allan Kardec, founder of Spiritism, claimed poltergeists were low-level spirits tied to the elements (fire, air, water, earth). In Finland, the "Mäkkylä Ghost" (1946) and the "Devils of Martin" (late 19th century) were well-known cases. Samuli Paulaharju recorded a poltergeist story called "Salkko-Niila" in his book Memoirs of Lapland, which was later published in Mythical Stories edited by Lauri Simonsuuri.

Famous cases

• Glenluce Devil (1654–1656)
• Drummer of Tedworth (1662)
• Mackie poltergeist (1695)
• Wesley poltergeist claim at Epworth Rectory (1716–1717)
• Hinton Ampner (1764–1771)
• Bell Witch of Tennessee (1817–1872)
• John Bovee Dods (1824)
• Bealings Bells (1834)
• Angelique Cottin (ca. 1846)
• Great Amherst Mystery (1878–1879)
• Gef the Talking Mongoose (1931)
• Borley Rectory (1937)
• Seaford poltergeist (1958)
• Matthew Manning (1960s–1970s)
• The Black Monk of Pontefract (1960s–1970s)
• Rosenheim poltergeist claim (1967)
• The Stambovsky v. Ackley poltergeist (1970s–1980s)
• The Corda poltergeist at Wilsele (1973)
• The Amityville case (1975)
• Enfield poltergeist (1977–1979)
• Thornton Road poltergeist claim (1981)
• Ammons haunting case (2011)