Ouija board

The original Ouija board created in 1891

The Ouija (pronounced wee-jee or wee-jah) is a game board supposedly used to talk to the dead. It is designed to be a fun activity based on self-deception. They are also called "spirit boards" or "talking boards." It is a flat board with the numbers 0-9 and all the letters of the alphabet. It has the words "yes" and "no" at the top, with the word "goodbye" on the bottom. The board uses a planchette, which is a small wooden plank in the shape of an upside-down heart. It has a glass circle (or plain hole) in the top. The player asks a question, then one or more players guide the planchette to the letters or numbers to spell out a message. A participant believes they are not controlling the message, that it comes from ghosts or spirits. However, scientists know the game is based on the ideomotor effect. It can seem very mysterious, but anyone can test a Ouija board by blindfolding or hiding the board from the ones moving the planchette. What usually results is gibberish and no message.

References

  1. ↑ Erin McCarthy. "A Brief History of the Ouija Board". Mental Floss. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Benjamin Radford (December 10, 2013). "Ouija Board: Demystifying the 'Mystifying Oracle'". LiveScience. Purch. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
  3. ↑ Linda Rodriguez McRobbie (October 27, 2013). "The Strange and Mysterious History of the Ouija Board". Smithsonian.com. Retrieved January 24, 2017.

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