Shadow PeopleShadow people (also known as shadow men, shadow folk, or shadow beings) are supernatural shadow-like creatures of both modern folklore and traditional Native American beliefs. According to folklore, they appear as dark forms in the peripheries of people's vision and disintegrate, or move between walls, when noticed.
Reports of shadow people occupy a similar position in the popular consciousness to ghost sightings, but differ in that shadow people are not reported as having human features, wearing modern/period clothing, or attempting to communicate. Witnesses also do not report the same feelings of being in the presence of something that 'was once human'. Some individuals have described being menaced, chased, or in some rare instances, attacked by shadow people. There have also been reports of shadow people appearing in front of witnesses, of whom they stay there or lingering for several seconds before disappearing. Witnesses report that encounters are typically accompanied by a feeling of dread.
Appearance
Accounts of shadow people typically describe them as being black humanoid silhouettes with no discernible mouths, noses, or facial expressions, though accounts also exist of them being child-sized humanoids or shapeless masses that sometimes change to a more human like form. The eyes are usually not described as being discernible but in some reports glowing eyes are mentioned. The color of the eyes, if any, is typically given as red. Their specific form is described variously as two-dimensional shadow to a vaporous or distorted three-dimensional body (as though made out of smoke or steam). Movement is often described as being very quick and disjointed. Some witnesses describe this movement as though the shadow entities they have seen "danced" from one wall to the next, or as moving around the room "as if they were on a specific track". Rarely, they are seen "standing" in the middle of doorways or off the wall. Often they are described as being seen staring at the floor. Some accounts describe what appears to be the outline of a cloak and in some instances the outline of a 1930s style fedora hat. This last type is referred as the "hat-man".
Paranormal
A number of paranormal beliefs for shadow people have been drawn from various religions, parapsychology, metaphysics, demonology, and the occult.
Specters
One proposal is that Shadow People represent a Thoughtform (egregore), ghost or demon that was created by events in which extreme physical/emotional stress/trauma has taken place, or which have been purposefully created through black magic or other occult practices. It has also been claimed that they are unattended shadows or shades, said in some cultures to be similar to that of a ghost: a flicker of a life unable to end for some reason.
Inter Dimensional
A second belief is that they are creatures from another reality whose "dimension" occasionally overlaps with ours, allowing them to be partially visible, or that they represent creatures that exist on a separate plane of existence.
UFO
A third belief is that they are in some way related to Grey aliens, or to the Reptilian humanoids found in conspiracy beliefs such as those promoted by David Icke.
Scientific Explanations
Several scientific hypotheses have been proposed to explain sightings of shadow people, including optical illusions or hallucinations brought on by the physiological/psychological circumstances of the witnesses, drug use, and the interaction of external agents on the human body.
Pareidolia
In most instances, witnesses report seeing shadow people in the peripheral areas of their vision. This area of vision is linked to the areas of the brain that recognizes patterns, however it provides less detail to the brain than macular (center-forward) vision. This can lead to a condition known as pareidolia, in which the brain incorrectly interprets random patterns of light/shadow or texture as being familiar patterns such as faces and human forms. The same condition can also be observed in macular vision in low light conditions, or when viewing a complex but random image. A common example would be perceiving a shadow, thrown by an item of furniture in a darkened room, as being a person.
Hypnagogia
Also known as waking-sleep, hypnagogia is a documented physiological condition in which a person is part-way between sleeping and waking. During hypnogogia, a person can be conscious and aware of their environment, but also in a dream-like state where they can perceive images from their subconscious. People experiencing waking-sleep commonly report the sensation of lights or shadows moving around them, as well as other visual hallucinations. A feeling of dread is also a sensation that occurs when experiencing hypnogogia. Hypnogogia is sometimes known as 'the faces in the dark phenomenon' because those who experience this state commonly report seeing faces while experiencing waking-sleep. Similar hypotheses have been put forward linking this condition to a number of other apparent paranormal experiences, including alien abductions paranormal nocturnal visitations, and religious experiences such as contact with angels or demons.
Chemical Agents
The use of narcotics and psychotropic agents, including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA (Ecstasy) and LSD, can produce shadow human shaped hallucinations. Dopaminergic drugs such as pramipexole can sometimes cause these hallucinations. Common over-the-counter medication can also have a similar effect if taken in sufficient quantity.
Electromagnetic Fields
Demonstrated in laboratory conditions, electromagnetic fields have been demonstrated to interfere with the functions of the temporal lobe; creating altered states of perception in which auditory and visual hallucinations can occur.
A second example of recreating this phenomenon in a laboratory setting, researchers used electromagnetic fields to recreate many of the experiences reported during paranormal encounters including those of shadow people. Researchers have also documented correlations between variances in naturally-occurring magnetic fields and areas where paranormal events have been reported.
Neurological Conditions
Certain neurological conditions, such as photosensitive complex partial seizures, have also been shown to cause sufferers to see shadow peopl