Why I am fascinated by anomalistic and parapsychology

As someone with an interest in health psychology and scientific research, it may come as a surprise to you that I am fascinated by anomalistic and parapsychology. I'd like to take a moment to tell you why, and how we shouldn't underestimate these areas of psychology that are often frowned upon by academics.

Firstly, I have personal reasons. From a young age I've always been interested in magic, watching countless television shows and stage shows. I even had a magician at my 5th birthday party who made me 'levitate' (which I still have home video footage of somewhere!) This intrigue followed me into my later years, manifesting itself in a love of Derren Brown and his combination of showmanship, magic tricks and psychology. I've been to see several of his live shows, and love how he combines debunking myths with an element of potential magic lingering.

I've also been fascinated by paranormal activity from an early age, being a tad obsessed with aliens in my childhood. Since entering adulthood, I've also read more on the subject, particularly enjoying the book 'Paranormality' by Richard Wiseman. I wanted to believe in paranormal phenomena from an early age, but as I get older I realize I am now firmly on the side of 'non-believer' or 'goat' as the sheep-goat effect would have me believe.

So if I don't believe in it anymore and if the science suggests paranormal activity and magic doesn't exist then why am I still so fascinated? After talk to Dr. Ian Fairholm, a lecturer at the University of Bath, I finally managed to pinpoint my answer. If people continue to believe in the paranormal, despite evidence that suggests otherwise, this tells us something important about human nature, how we think, feel and process the world around us. 

Psychology is the study of the mind, and the mind wants to believe what it wants, not what science may dictate as truth. In my view, this makes the area definitely worth studying.