Editing Paranormal (section)

===Neuroscience===

Some scientists have investigated possible [[neurocognitive]] processes underlying the formation of paranormal beliefs.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Raz |first1=Amir |last2=Hines |first2=T.M. |last3=Fossella |first3=John |last4=Castro |first4=Daniella |title=Paranormal experience and the COMT dopaminergic gene: A preliminary attempt to associate phenotype with genotype using an underlying brain theory |date=September 2008 |journal=Cortex |volume=44 |issue=10 |pages=1336–1341 |doi=10.1016/j.cortex.2007.07.011|pmid=18814869 |s2cid=6070468 }}</ref> In a study (Pizzagalli ''et al''. 2000) data demonstrated that "subjects differing in their declared belief in and experience with paranormal phenomena as well as in their schizotypal ideation, as determined by a standardized instrument, displayed differential brain electric activity during resting periods."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Pizzagalli |first1=Diego |last2=Lehmann |first2=Dietrich |last3=Gianotti |first3=Lorena |last4=Koenig |first4=Thomas |last5=Tanaka |first5=Hideaki |last6=Wackermann |first6=Jiri |last7=Brugger |first7=Peter |display-authors=2 |title=Brain electric correlates of strong belief in paranormal phenomena: intracerebral EEG source and regional Omega complexity analyses |journal=[[Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging]] |volume=100 |issue=3 |date=22 December 2000 |pages=139–154 |doi=10.1016/S0925-4927(00)00070-6 |pmid=11120441|s2cid=3098128 }}</ref> Another study (Schulter and Papousek, 2008) wrote that paranormal belief can be explained by patterns of functional hemispheric asymmetry that may be related to perturbations during [[Prenatal development|fetal development]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Schulter |first1=Günter |last2=Papousek |first2=Ilona |title=Believing in paranormal phenomena: Relations to asymmetry of body and brain |date=August 2008 |journal=Cortex |volume=44 |issue=10 |pages=1326–1335 |doi=10.1016/j.cortex.2007.08.022|pmid=18706541 |s2cid=21140138 }}</ref>

It was also realized that people with higher dopamine levels have the ability to find patterns and meanings where there are not any. This is why scientists have connected high dopamine levels with paranormal belief.<ref name=Phillips>{{cite web|last=Phillips|first=Helen|title=Paranormal beliefs linked to brain chemistry|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2589-paranormal-beliefs-linked-to-brain-chemistry.html#.Uk4if4akoc8|work=New Scientist|access-date=4 October 2013}}</ref>