Abstract

Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) are unexplained voices captured on audio recording, allegedly paranormal in nature (Buckner & Buckner, 2012). Little research exists on listener’s perception of EVPs to date. The field of speech science involves the study of the production, transmission, and perception of human speech. Many concrete elements from the study of speech science have the potential to be applied to the interpretation of EVP content. Several works of literature were reviewed to assess current EVP analysis practices Interviews were conducted with various paranormal investigation societies across the nation to gather information on the general practices involved in EVP collection, analysis, interpretation, and use. Responses collected through interviews with paranormal investigators suggests that the process of collecting and identifying an EVP is a thorough and systematic process, but the interpretation process is lacking. No societies report experience collaborating with a speech professional or utilizing speech analysis in order to assist in their interpretation. Research is warranted on listeners’ perception of the smaller units and elements of speech and the reliability across listeners, as well as acoustical analysis of EVP speech content.

Semester/Year of Award

Spring 2017

Mentor

Charlotte A. Hubbard

Mentor Professional Affiliation

Special Education

Access Options

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Bachelor Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelor's

Department

Teaching, Learning, and Educational Leadership

Department Name when Degree Awarded

Special Education

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