https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42 Made with a wish on a star en-us 2020-11-30 23:05:22 UTC 2026-01-28 17:43:44 UTC hello@padlet.com sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973755510 2020-11-30 23:07:00 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973755510 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973757941 Description: This video describes Cassadaga, its history, and includes a few interesting stories and facts about the community. During a seance, George P. Colby (a famous trance medium) was instructed to move to Cassadaga. There, he established a spiritualist camp. Many visitors describe feeling an unusual energy when they are there. The town is a popular spot to hunt for paranormal activity. Orbs are often captured in photos.
Connection: This video connects to the unexplained. The video connects to the unexplained because ghosts and paranormal activity still cannot be explained, so many simply explain weird happenings as paranormal activity. The belief of this is convinced by faith and belief. Applying critical thinking and skepticism, there is not much evidence in this video to support the claim that lots of paranormal activity takes place within this town. The sources of stories that prove the paranormal activity may not be credible as they could be any random person with their own personal assumptions, emotions, and biases that may make them believe. A flaw within this video is that no one is checking the credibility of the claims and sources that the town has paranormal activity. A limitation is that the person who posted this is most likely a believer in the paranormal. ]]> 2020-11-30 23:08:16 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973757941 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973770776 Description: This video describes a few misconceptions about Cassadaga, and also explains that many of the residents there are mediums and healers. These residents offer things such as readings, which attract many believers and those who are trying to get in contact with certain spirits, such as a lost loved one.
Connection: This video connects to emotional connection. Those who are visiting the town for a reading in hopes to contact a lost loved one are experiencing strong emotions that can blur their rational thought. Their emotions make them want to believe that what they are hearing from the reading is truly their loved one coming through, and faith and belief also convince them. Applying critical thinking and skepticism, emotional connection could be seen as a reason for belief. There are lots of personal emotions that could impact someone during a reading and make them believe that the reading is real. Alternative explanations could be that the medium researched the family member ahead of time for facts about them. A flaw within this video is that no one is checking the credibility of the mediums who performed the readings. A limitation is that most readings described are positive experiences that prove that mediums are real. 

]]> 2020-11-30 23:15:14 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973770776 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973833633 Description: In a cemetery in Cassadaga, there is a chair, called the "Devil's chair". There is a legend that states if you sit in the chair at midnight, the Devil will speak to you or even appear. The legend also states that if you leave an unopened can of beer on the chair, it will be found empty in the morning. This deliberately creates mystery.
Connection: This picture connects to the unexplained. Those who visit the chair and experience something cannot explain their experience, so they simply believe they must have come into contact with the Devil. Applying critical thinking and skepticism, there is not much evidence, besides peoples' personal stories, that support the claim that the devil visits this chair. The sources of personal experiences here aren't credible as they most likely have their own personal assumptions, emotions, and biases (such as religious beliefs, etc.) that push them towards believing. 

]]> 2020-11-30 23:52:33 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973833633 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973910783 Description: This is a picture taken in Cassadaga. In this photo, you can faintly see a ghostly figure, which looks to be a girl or woman wearing a dress.
Connection: This picture connects to patternicity. Although you can see a ghostly figure, this may just be a pattern that looks like a ghost. Lighting in the picture or even objects in the background may create a pattern that ends up looking like a ghost. Applying critical thinking, patternicity could be seen as a reason for belief. The source of this photo is not credible as the photographer is unknown, and may have been a random person or someone who edited the ghost in. An alternative explanation could be that the figure seen is simply due to objects in the background or lighting, or that someone edited the figure in. A flaw within this picture is that you cannot check the credibility of the source of the picture, or find who took it. A limitation is that you cannot tell if the ghostly figure seen was edited into the picture. ]]> 2020-12-01 00:31:33 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973910783 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973962802 Description: This website has a few stories from people who visited and had experiences at the "Devil's Chair" in Cassadaga. One person claims to have seen dark figures in the shadows.
Connection: This website connects to perception/observation. The dark figures seen may have been something else, but because it was so dark the group may have perceived it as ghostly figures because that is what they were expecting to see. Applying critical thinking and skepticism, this source is not credible as it is a random person, and they may have been impacted by their own personal assumptions and emotions that caused them to perceive what they saw as ghostly figures. An alternative explanation would be that the group thought they saw ghostly figures, but it was actually real people or objects that looked like ghosts. A flaw within this website is that the authenticity of these sightings is unknown. A limitation within this website is anyone can submit their own stories. ]]> 2020-12-01 00:55:06 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/973962802 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974197486 Description: This video explains the history of the Cassadaga spiritualist camp. The video describes how famous trance medium George P. Colby was instructed by one of his spirit guides to move to Cassadaga during a seance. He was told to go to bring spiritualism to Florida, and to look for a place with rolling hills and linked lakes.
Connection: This video connects to appeal to authority because it is using a famous medium and his experience to prove that Cassadaga really is a town full of mediums and spiritualism. Applying critical thinking and skepticism, the source is credible, however, the results can't be reproduced, and one simply has to believe that Colby was told by his spirit guide to move without any evidence. A flaw within this video is that there is no evidence Colby was actually instructed to move here. A limitation is there is only one story (Colby's) to back up claims that the town really is the "psychic capital of the world". ]]> 2020-12-01 02:49:35 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974197486 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974251799 Description: This website goes in depth about Cassadaga and its history, however, it also talks about a ghost. The ghost, named Arthur, supposedly haunts the Cassadaga Hotel. People claim to have seen Arthur at the hotel, and some say they smell cigars and gin, two things Arthur was fond of.
Connection: This website connects to perception/observation because of those who claim to see Arthur or smell cigars and gin. They are expecting to see or smell Arthur, and due to this their mind tricks them into believing they did. Random guests stories are not credible, nor do they have proof. Their personal assumptions (ghosts are real) are impacting them to believe that they saw Arthur or smelled gin/cigars. A flaw is that the authenticity and sources of the sighting or Arthur are unknown. A limitation is anyone could claim to see Arthur. ]]> 2020-12-01 03:20:46 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974251799 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974286838 Description: This website explains how Cassadaga is a town of many spiritualists and mediums. This site includes a statement from author Gary Munroe, who explains that 85% of those who get readings done (by mediums in the town) connect to them and find them very accurate, specific and detailed.  Many also claim that there is no way the mediums could have known certain information.
Connection: This website connects to emotional connection. Those who go for readings are in hopes of connecting with a lost loved one, and emotions can blur their rational thought and make them truly believe they are connecting with their loved one. Faith and belief also contribute to the belief that they are connecting with who they are missing. This site also connects to appeal to authority since they are using a quote from an author, who could be seen as more of a trusted and knowledgeable person, making one trust and believe his statement. Applying critical thinking and skepticism, many positive experiences with readings may not be from a credible source. There are lots of personal assumptions and emotions that can lead one towards believing when receiving a reading. Alternative explanations could be that the medium did research on the person ahead of time. A flaw is that the sources of  these stories of readings may not be credible. A  limitation is only positive experiences with readings are included. ]]> 2020-12-01 03:43:32 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974286838 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974321012 Description: This picture shows an orb captured in the Cassadaga Hotel.
Connection: This picture connects to the unexplained because the orb in the photo cannot be explained away or debunked, so it is thought to be an orb of a ghost. Applying critical thinking and skepticism, the source may not be credible and the results could be reproduced (an orb could be captured in another photo). Alternative explanations are that the orb is the reflection of light or it may be a dust particle. A flaw is we can not check the authenticity of this photo. A limitation is there is no way to prove what exactly the orb is (if it is a ghost or simply a reflection of the light).

]]> 2020-12-01 04:09:16 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974321012 sophie_muellerr https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974334364 1. I was surprised to learn the history of Cassadaga and the story of how George Colby was instructed to move there by one of his spirit guides during a seance. 
2. This topic is very relevant and interesting to me because I do believe in mediums and the paranormal. I have had paranormal experiences myself, and have grown up watching shows about mediums such as "Long Island Medium". How mediums perform readings and get their information has always interested me.
3. The research I found most interesting was the statement from Gary Munroe, who explained that 85% of readings performed by mediums in Cassadaga are very accurate, specific and detailed. Normally, you hear about how mediums make general claims that could apply to almost anyone and are very vague, however the readings performed by mediums in Cassadaga are not like this. Most of them are very positive and involve specific details that mediums could have no way of knowing (might be difficult to search up).
4. From this research, I will most likely remember how George Colby was instructed to move to Cassadaga by one of his spirit guides, as I find this very interesting that this was how Cassadaga came to be the "psychic capital of the world".
5. I think perception/observation is the most harmful because many people trust their senses completely, and this can cause them to fully believe something without addressing any other facts or using critical thinking. I think patternicity is the least harmful because often patternicity can be debunked.
7. If I could pass on my knowledge, I think the most important thing to pass on would be the critical thinking process. I believe this process really makes one stop and evaluate the authenticity of something and the evidence. Completing the critical thinking process can allow one to think about alternative reasons for a belief, before deciding what they would like to believe.]]> 2020-12-01 04:19:46 UTC https://padlet.com/sophie_muellerr/s5kti979gu4euv42/wish/974334364