Huwebes, Disyembre 12, 2013

THE EFFECTS OF THE BELIEFS OF DÉJÀ VU IN OUR LIVES



Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

     A.    Background of the Study

Our mind is a wonderful thing – there is so much about it which remains a mystery to this day. There are a lot of marvelous and mysterious world inside our heads. Our brain, which controls everything in our body and communicates with thousands of other brain cells, has also the ability to experience some other kind of phenomenon. Science is able to describe these strange phenomena, but it cannot account for their origins.

This phenomenon is called déjà vu. Déjà vu is an odd sensation wherein you encounter a strange feeling of familiarity.  Déjà vu comes from the French word “already seen”. As much as 70 percent of the population had experienced some form of déjà vu. A higher number of incidents occur in people 15 to 25 years old than in any other age group. 

(http://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-d-j-vu-and-why-does-it-happen-11355)

There is much speculation as to how and why this phenomenon happensSeveral psychoanalysts attribute déjà vu to simple fantasy or wish fulfillment, while some psychiatrists ascribe it to a mismatching in the brain that causes the brain to mistake the present for the past.  Many parapsychologists believe it is related to a past-life experience or “Reincarnation”. According to Sigmund Freud he, believe that these feelings are the dreams that we have every night, however we don’t remember them. Many scientific estimation and studies actually hold this true. Others said that this is a dysfunctional inside our brain. Our brains sometimes familiarize and recall at the same time. 

(http://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-d-j-vu-and-why-does-it-happen-11355)

Often, people feeling déjà vu believe that the previous experience occurred in a dream. In some cases though, people feeling déjà vu firmly believe that the past experience actually happened. Is déjà vu a sixth sense or a glimpse into the future or past? Not likely! Researchers believe the sensation of déjà vu is most likely just a trick our brains play on us, making us think that an experience we’re currently having is being remembered rather than occurring right now.

Although déjà vu has been studied as a phenomenon for over a hundred years, and researchers have advanced tons of theories about its cause, there is no simple explanation for what it means or why it happens. Generally, it is left unexplained and is described in a vague sense; but many people believe in the existence of this strange phenomenon.

Based on the background information, the researcher was able to make the following observations: déjà vu can be related to dreams or what we called “Prophetic Dreams” and there is no simple explanation about this strange phenomenon but many people believe in this. There is a need for a better understanding regarding this odd sensation and this paper focuses on the effects of déjà vu on an individual’s life.    
   
B.    Statement of the Problem

This study aims to answer this question:

1.    What are the effects of the beliefs of déjà vu in an individual’s behavior?

C.     Significance of the Study


Students

This research paper aims to help students especially college students who are taking up Psychology because an individual’s behavior is in line with their course. The research aims to help them understand more this strange phenomena and how it affects us. The researcher wants to help the students become more aware of déjà vu.

Teachers and Professors

This study can help people most especially who are teachers or professors of Psychology class. Psychologists who are studying about the behavior of a person can also be guided by this paper. This study may also help them in preparation of lesson plans for interested students.

Future Researchers

This paper can help the future researchers in this field. They may use this as a guide for researching more about déjà vu.



D.    Scope and Delimitation


This research paper focuses on the effects of déjà vu in an individual’s behavior. Déjà vu is a very complex phenomenon and there are many different theories as to why déjà vu happens.

Due to time constraints, the researcher will no longer discuss other phenomenon related to déjà vu such as Butterfly Effect, Capgras Delusion, Types of Prophetic Dreams, Precognitive Dreams, and etc.

Resources of the research will focus more on the beliefs about Déjà vu and how it affects an individual’s life.


E.     Materials and Methods

As our consciousness expands, we begin to use many tools and methods to heighten awareness and bring about understanding. The researcher believes that déjà vu has a relationship with dreams. And our dreams can affect or change an individual’s life.

The research will follow an informative method. Though déjà vu is a very perplexing phenomenon, the researcher will break down the information even further to understand more about déjà vu. Also, the researcher thinks that déjà vu has a psychological effects based on its beliefs. The researcher gathers some relevant information from some reliable sources and articles found in the internet.

F. Definition of Terms

Déjà v                    Déjà vu, from French, literally "already seen", is the phenomenon of having the strong sensation that an event or experience currently being experienced has been experienced in the past, whether it has actually happened or not.

                              (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9j%C3%A0_vu)

Psychiatrists           person who deals or treats person who have mental, emotional or behavioral disorders

Psychoanalysts       a method of analyzing psychic phenomena and treating emotional       disorders that involves treatment sessions

Reincarnation         is a belief wherein a person is reborn after death.

Phenomenon          an observable fact or event of scientific interest susceptible to scientific description and explanation.

Dreams                    it is a series of thoughts that happens when we sleep.


Dysfunction            abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction

Theories                   analysis of a set of facts in their relation to one another

Higher self               is a term associated with multiple belief systems, but its basic   premise describes an eternal, omnipotent, conscious, and                   intelligent being, who is one's real self.

Prophetic dreams      are unexplained phenomena that can foretell the future by    means of dreaming.


Consciousness          it is the quality or state of being aware especially of something                  within oneself.

Hindus                         people who believes in Hinduism and in reincarnation

Paraskevidek
-atriaphobia           fear in Friday the 13th

Voodoo dolls         dolls that are use to curse and harm other people




Chapter 2
DISCUSSION

I.   Definition

Déjà vu is defined as the feeling of having experienced or seen something before. Millions of individuals claim to have had at least one déjà vu experience before. With numerous people believing in this phenomenon's existence, some people are eager to dig deeper about it.Although many theories evolved about the origination or cause of déjà vu, no theory has been successfully proven due, in part, to the enigmatic nature and the many faces of the phenomenon.

            There is no simple explanation why déjà vu exist but many people believe in it that’s why déjà vu is considered as one of the “supernatural beliefs”.  Superstitions are false concepts, practice or beliefs. Obviously, crossing your fingers, knocking on wood, avoiding black cats has no effect on the world. But if superstitious are all in are in our heads, then how do superstitious affect our daily lives?

II. Psychological effect of believing in Superstitious

     A.   Superstition, Belief and Behavior

When really strange things happen that cannot be explained, people will believe anything to find an answer. Despite knowing deep down that some superstitious are irrational, people will automatically still turn to rituals or superstitions notions in particular times when they fear a change of luck or when they are worry about their future. These are the people who will not make a move unless performing a certain ritual.

Basically, believing in superstition activates the human brain. According to the article of Anton Chekhow entitled “Man is what he believes”.He mentioned that believing in superstitions is connected with emotions.

Chekhow says that “Beliefs are not just cold mental premises, but are ‘hot stuff’ intertwined with emotions (conscious or unconscious). Perhaps, that is why we feel threatened or react with sometimes uncalled for aggression, when we believe our beliefs are being challenged! Research findings have repeatedly pointed out that the emotional brain is no longer confined to the classical locales of the hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus.The sensory inputs we receive from the environment undergo a filtering process as they travel across one or more synapses, ultimately reaching the area of higher processing, like the frontal lobes. There, the sensory information enters our conscious awareness. What portion of this sensory information enters is determined by our beliefs. Fortunately for us, receptors on the cell membranes are flexible, which can alter in sensitivity and conformation. In other words, even when we feel stuck ‘emotionally’, there is always a biochemical potential for change and possible growth. When we choose to change our thoughts (bursts of neurochemicals!), we become open and receptive to other pieces of sensory information hitherto blocked by our beliefs! When we change our thinking, we change our beliefs. When we change our beliefs, we change our behavior”
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2802367/)


     B.  Superstitions in Society

Superstitions and the belief exist in every society in different countries. In China, consulting in an astrologer is a very essential part of the wedding planning. According to the article entitled “Picking a Blessed Day to Declare, “I Do!” by Nicole Kidder it is said that the Chinese will ask about what day and time the wedding should be held because they want to ensure good fortune. In connection with Déjà vu, when the bride experience this odd sensation and she feels she already see herself marrying that man, she thinks that her groom is her destiny.

 (http://weddingtraditions.about.com/od/WeddingPreparation/a/Picking-A-Blessed-Day-To-Declare-i-Do.htm)

In Bangladesh, both cultural and religious superstition are really woven into peoples' lives, and superstitious for example, it is considered unlucky to leave your house right after something has been broken, or if you stumble before you leave. In the Philippines, they also have a lot of superstitious beliefs. For example, avoiding black cats because they believe it brings bad luck.In line with deja vu, when you experience this and you think you already seen that black cat that cross your way or there is a glass that has been broken and you feel that there willbad thing that might happen to you, you will not go to your destination. 

 (http://www.truthpizza.org/logic/stition.htm)

Another article that talks about the superstitions is entitled “Friday the 13th Phobia Rooted in Ancient History” by John Roach for National Geographic News. He explains that the Romans believed that the number 13 was a symbol of death and destruction. Paraskevidekatriaphobia for instance is the fear of Friday the 13th and some people will take this superstition so seriously that they will refuse to undertake anything involves risk including traveling on the 13th. Like believing in déjà vu, decisions like this based on superstitions and gut feelings are bound to affect their everyday routines. They might miss out a great future opportunity by refusing an important thing just because you believe in déjà vu.

(http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0212_040212_friday13.html)

Next, is crossing your fingers. These gestures are sign of good luck and it sends positive vibes towards the future. According to the article of Treye Green entitled “The History behind the 13 Popular Superstitions”, it explains that this sign came from the ancient times of the Christian persecution to identify other believers.In connection with déjà vu, when crossing your fingers and you dream that it will bring you good luck and success, you will do this kind of belief and it will be your part of your mannerisms.

 (http://www.ibtimes.com/friday-13th-facts-history-behind-13-popular-superstitions-1405244)

Those who are mildly superstitious aren’t likely to see these beliefs having a major impact on their life. However, there are some who might find their superstitions affecting both their own life and the lives of the people around them. These beliefs tend to play a large part in the decisions we make every day of our lives.

C.   Advantages in believing in Superstitions like Déjà vu

 How these beliefs affect our behavior?  Engaging in superstitious activities like deja vureassures us that we have done just one more thing to ensure that things will go well. The greatest benefits of having superstitious belief is a sense of security and confidence we gain from it. If wearing a ring or having a lucky charm before an exam have given us good results before, chances are we will do the same every time, will boost our confidence andtherefore improve our performance. Superstitions like believing in deja vu can actually help through placebo effect. If you think something will help you, it may just do that. Believe that you can do as well, because it can somehow boost your self-assurance and the chances of success. 

     D.   Disadvantages in believing in Superstitions like Déjà vu

Superstitions can also bring negative effects in our lives.Of course this can have its disadvantages as well. Loss of your lucky charm, pens or rings or overconfidence in them can result in poor outcomes. Phobic superstitions, such as fear of a certain number, of broken mirrors etc can cause anxiety and influence decisions regarding future plans of travel or appointments for example. Superstitious beliefs can be used to cause harm to others. In Bangladesh culture, one of the popular ways to have revenge on your enemy is using voodoo dolls. These dolls represent the person’s spirit. You usually stick a pin into the doll and the person will experience some curses.

     E.   Belief of Déjà vu and Coincidence

However, despite all the pros and cons, people have superstitious beliefs because they make us comfortable by lifting the burden of responsibility from our shoulders and heap it on a black cat or broken mirrors or some magical numerals.

Believing in superstitions like the existence of déjà vu has nothing to do with intelligence. Some smart and not so smart people will do the same rituals and have their own lucky charms. The phenomenon of déjà vu is somehow a scenario of coincidence because it is just a delayed reaction of our brain and eyes because there is not enough oxygen in our brain.

(http://www.theastralworld.com/other-mysteries/dejavu.php)

According to Janel Risen and David Nussbaum, superstitions can really work in terms of psychology but it’s not magical thing.

 “While almost any behavior can be turned into a superstitious ritual, perhaps the ones that are most likely to survive are those that happen to be effective at changing how we feel. We can seek to rid ourselves of superstitions in the name of enlightenment and progress, but we are likely to find that some may be hard to shake because, although they may be superficially irrational, they may not be unreasonable. Superstitious rituals can really work — but it’s not magic, it’s psychology.”

(http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/opinion/sunday/sense-and-superstition.html?_r=0)

The phenomenon of déjà vu is around for centuries. Déjà vu as a supernatural belief can somehow affect the lives and behavior of every individual. It can give a huge impact to everyone. It is their own choice whether they will believe it or not, because our beliefs can affect our behavior.

    A.  Prediction

In our fast revolving world, we are now entering in a world full of technologies and the generation nowadays or what we called the “Generation Y” is more focusing on the different benefits of the technologies. And in the near future, the researcher predicts that these super natural beliefs will no longer exists in the society because only the old people believe in superstitions because it is part of their traditions. And also, some of the beliefs are already forgotten. The incoming generation will no longer believe in the existence of déjà vu.






Chapter 3
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

     A.  Summary

This paper attempted to determine the effects of the beliefs of déjà vu in the daily lives.
            The research design used in this study was informativemethodwhere data from several different online articles was used to answer the following research question that was stated. The research findings are the following:
     
    1.    Déjà vu is the odd feeling of familiarity that we experience from time to time. Déjà vu came from the French word that means “already seen”. Many researchers explore about the origin of this phenomena anda lot of studies were conducted about this phenomena.

     2.    There are many theories as to how and why this phenomenon happensSome psychoanalyst said that déjà vu are fantasies while other said that it is cause by the mismatching in the human brain.

    3.    Others relate it to the super natural belief of Reincarnation. According to the scientist named Sigmund Freud, déjà vu are dreams that people usually don’t remember.  

    4.    Even though this phenomenon has been studied for many years, it is still left unexplained, yet many people believe in its existence. That’s why déjà vu is considered as a superstition.

    B.  Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher concludes that:

    1.    The true explanation of the existence of déjà vu is still unexplained therefore it is a superstition. Believingin superstition lie déjà vu can affect the lives of an individual. It can give a sense of security and confidence. But believing in superstition has also its negative effects. It can cause anxiety and can harm other people.

    2.     The researcher predicts that in the near future, superstitions will no longer exist because the future generation will pay attention on the technologies.

    3.   Déjà vu as a superstition had a huge impact on the behavior of an individual.




    C.   Suggestions and Recommendations

After drawing the conclusion of the study, the researcher hereby make the following suggestion and recommendations:

    1.    The effect of superstitions on people differs from person to another according to their own attitude toward superstition. When dealing with superstitions, the researcher suggests that it is better if we don’t have to pay too much attention to it.

    2.    Scholars should design a research on possible future of the traditional superstitions. They can conduct furthermore studies about the other psychological effect of believing on superstitions.


References:

Electronic Media

Chekhow, Anton. "The Biochemistry of Belief."Indian Journal of Psychiatry, n.d. Web.

Reichelt, Amy. "Explainer: What Is Déjà Vu and Why Does It Happen?" The Conversation.N.p., n.d. Web. https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-d-j-vu-and-why-does-it-happen-11355

"Déjà Vu." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 June 2013. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Déjà_vu>.

Kidder, Nicole. "Picking a Blessed Day to Declare, “I Do!”." About.com Wedding Traditions.N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. <http://weddingtraditions.about.com/od/WeddingPreparation/a/Picking-A-Blessed-Day-To-Declare-i-Do.htm>.

Cabtree, Vexen. "What Causes Religion and Superstitions?" Human Religions.N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.humanreligions.info/causes.html>.

"'Illusions Driving Market Havoc'" BBC News. BBC, 10 Mar. 2008. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7649970.stm>.

"Death by Superstition." Sign in to Read:.N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg17823942.600-death-by-superstition.html>.

"Superstition - Causes and Effects at MedicineNet.com." MedicineNet.N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. <http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46749>.

Roach, John. "Friday the 13th Phobia Rooted in Ancient History." National Geographic News.N.p., 12 Aug. 2004. Web. 11 Dec. 2013.

Risen, Janel L., and David Nussbaum. "Sense and Superstition." Sunday Review.New York Times, n.d. Web.<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/opinion/sunday/sense-and-superstition.html?_r=0>.
 eb. 11 Dec. 2013.

Risen, Janel L., and David Nussbaum. "Sense and Superstition." Sunday Review.New York Times, n.d. Web.<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/06/opinion/sunday/sense-and-superstition.html?_r=0>.



Martes, Oktubre 29, 2013

Blog Post 8: Déjà vu in the Big Screen

Déjà vu is commonly known as a strange phenomenon in human lives. Because of the latest technology and creative minds of the people, they start to adapt déjà vu as a part of human culture which create new things to form a lot of brand new ideas and also newest definition of déjà vu.

Déjà Vu is an interesting topic whose existence is yet to be explained by experts. That is why some enthusiasts, including myself, is motivated to find answers to many questions about this phenomenon. But this thing has really gone up to a new height. Déjà vu has become more popular in culture because it added some twist scene in a movie, new subjected line in a song, a plot topic of a story in a book and many more.

There a lot of movies related to déjà vu like in year 2006, there is an American movie entitled “Déjà vu”. It is a story of a man who travels back in time in attempt to prevent a domestic terrorist attack that would take place in New Orleans, and to save a woman with whom he falls in love. It is a crime, action thriller with the elements of science fiction starred by Denzel Washington and Paula Patton and directed by Tony Scott. An article related to this topic is “Déjà vu: The time tripping to NewVFX Heights” by Tara Dillulo. The article explains how Scott really worked hard for the movie to show the challenging concept in the big screen. Scott, together with the creators, used new advanced technology like LIDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Raging) and some 3D Digital scanning. Also, they said that they used some multiple camera tricks like they used in the movie Matrix.

Matrix Trilogy is another amazing movie related to Déjà vu. It is an American science fiction action film that tells a story about a computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers. There is an article entitled There’s more to déjàvu than a simple glitch in The Matrix” by Metro that explains how déjà vu is related to the said movie. In the perspective of The Matrix, déjà vu is the repeat occurrence of an event that had already taken place moments ago. It happens when the code of the Matrix is altered. In the movie, Neo sees a black cat walk by followed by another that acts exactly the same way.  This tipped off the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar that the code of the Lafayette Hotel had been changed, sealing off most exits, and those agents were in pursuit, causing the crew to be caught in trap.

Nowadays, young people have more active brain because of the advance technology. We are fascinated by déjà vu because of the unique insight it gives us into how our mind works. Déjà vu is how the French described the sensation of seeing or experiencing something you feel you’ve already seen or experienced before. Movies have created all sorts of mystical contexts or explanations for it. According to the article “There’s so much to be explored in how the brain works.", the brain is the next frontier in science, and déjà vu is a really wonderful illustration of how much we still need to learn about how the brain operates.

It’s a rarity that a good action thriller smoothly incorporates sci-fi elements, turning it into a sci-fi movie. These movies pull it off nicely with just a hint of confusion to keep you on your toes. It may not be a real déjà vu, but the films will leave you wanting to go back and experience it again.

Blog Post 7: Déjà vu and Butterfly Effect


One of the greatest series of American thriller films is Final Destination. It is a movie series wherein the main character always experienced precognitive dreams or déjà reve and tries to save his or her love ones from death. One of the interesting concepts of this movie is the chain of death. Someone has a vision that results in a small group of people avoiding a major catastrophe that would otherwise have resulted in their deaths. Then, because it was “Death’s Design” for these people to die, one by one they start dying in freak accidents.
The death of the characters in the movie usually started with small actions and results to extremely complex effect. This phenomenon is called “Butterfly Effect”. According to the article of Wise Geek entitled “What is Butterfly Effect?”, this phenomenon explains how small things that were unrelated to different things or condition can affect large and complex systems. This concept was suggested by the mathematician and meteorologist, Edward Norton Lorenz.  This idea is most commonly used in modern parlance to suggest that one small change can cause a ripple of various effects. Also, they believe that the flap of the butterfly’s wings in South America can affect the weather in Texas.

Another article related to the butterfly effect is “Concepts:Butterfly Effect” by Yaneer Bar-Yam. It explains that the flip of the wings of the butterfly can have large, widespread consequences. For example, the large storm in England may be caused by the butterfly wing flap in China. In addition with this, the article states, “It is not established experimentally that sensitivity in weather extends as far as a butterfly flap of a wing. Even though mathematical models suggest that such things in principle might happen, there is no confirmation of this effect. Nevertheless, the lack of predictability of the weather and the existence of amplification due to feedback is clear in weather patterns. Understanding where and when and the degree of sensitivity is an active area of research.”
Like in the movie series Final Destination, the main character always experience déjà vu, and later on, he or she will try to save their friends from death. The cause of death usually comes from unrelated things then results to large tremendous accident.
As a conclusion, we imagine the butterfly effect would explain things in everyday life. However, it may also reveal more than an overeager impulse to validate ideas through science. It speaks to our larger expectation that the world should be comprehensible - that everything happens for a reason, and that we can pinpoint all those reasons, how big or small they may be. But nature itself defies this expectation. It is probability, not certain cause and effect, that now dictates how scientists understand many systems, from subatomic particles to storms. People who get small things can make a big difference.
                                                                                                                         






Biyernes, Oktubre 25, 2013

Blog Post 6: Déjà vu and Reincarnation

Have you ever felt like you have done a certain activity before? Have you also been to a particular place when the reality is that you have not? Déjà vu is defined as the feeling of having experienced or seen something before. Millions of individuals claim to have had at least one déjà vu experience before. With numerous people believing in this phenomenon's existence,  some people are eager to dig deeper about it.

A feeling of déjà vu can happen at just about any time. This strange feeling may come about when traveling, meeting with friends, or hearing news reports. Many people report the feeling of déjà vu when they are traveling to a new place. Even though they have never been in the area before, there is something about the surroundings that makes it seem as if they have been there before. 
Scientists, physicians, and other healthcare professional have been examining déjà vu. Their goal is to determine if the feeling is for real, why it exists, and what causes it. Different professionals have different thoughts on the subject, and according to the research, one of the reason why déjà vu exists is because of reincarnation.
Reincarnation is a belief wherein a person is reborn after death. And now, the question is, is déjà vu related to reincarnation? According to the article of Art Funkhouser entitled “Explanation of Déjà vu Experiences-Reincarnation”, he said that reincarnation was the earliest explanation to déjà vu.  It is believed that those who are reincarnated are given a new body. Even though they are now living a new life, there are many people who believe that it is possible to remember or have glimpses of their past life. This is why many individuals believe that déjà vu is related to reincarnation. The connection between déjà vu and reincarnation is one that has many skeptics, including many medical professionals. 
It is difficult to pinpoint an exact cause for déjà vu. This has caused a number of individuals to wonder if déjà vu is all in one’s imagination or dreams. Most individuals report that they are not able to remember their dreams; however, many healthcare professionals believe dreams are stored deep within the memory. This is a highly debatable, but popular theory surrounding the cause of déjà vu. 

In the other article of Dimpy Chowdhry entitled “Reincarnation”, she explains that reincarnation is the idea of karma of the Hindus. It is said that a person suffers because he or she is punished for his past sins.  "Reincarnation is not a joke. People have actually witnessed others recall facts from their past life. If a person remembers experiences from before he was born, then he had a life before his present life.”, she added.

As previously mentioned, having a déjà vu experience is something that many individuals have at least once in their life. In most cases, déjà vu is not a life changing experience, but it will make you stop in think. There may be an instance for someone to spend hours - or even days - wondering if their déjà vu was for real or just a figment of their imagination. 

Lunes, Oktubre 21, 2013

Blog Post 5: An Impostor?

Imagine a family member who no longer recognized you as the person you are. Now imagine that the same family member believes you are a stand-in or an imposter of the real you: an individual who misidentifies a family member or friend. Sounds crazy right?  It sounds like something out of the 1956 sci-fi film "Invasion of the Body Snatchers”. In the classic 1956 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the residents of a fictional town in California are overwhelmed by the feeling that their friends and family have been replaced by impostors. In the movie, this apparent delusion is not delusional at all. The townspeople are in fact being replaced — by aliens, no less. This classic movie is somewhat related to “Capgras Delusion”
What is Capgras Delusion? Is this some sort of hallucination or something? Is this an example of an illness or rare disease? Articles relating to this topic are “How Capgras Syndrome Works” by Kattie Lambert and “AnImpostor in the Family written by Gerry Matlack. The articles explained that this disorder is called delusional misidentification, and also, this phenomenon is the opposite of déjà vu.  People with this kind of disorder think that their close relative or friend has been replaced by an impostor or an exact double, despite recognition of familiarity in appearance and behavior. The patient may also see himself as his own double. Individuals may also not recognize their home furnishings and pets as their own, believing they are exact replicas. If the person is married, he/she will most likely misidentify the spouse as a look-alike.
This mental disorder got its name from the psychiatrist, Joseph Capgras, who described this illness in 1923. His patient, Madame M., was convinced that her family and neighbors had all been replaced by lookalikes. She said she'd had 80 husbands -- one imposter would simply leave to make room for a new one. The medical community doesn't know what exactly causes Capgras delusion. However, there are many theories about what causes it; the causes may be caused by lesions or other abnormalities of the frontal lobe of the brain. Capgras delusion may also be a manifestation of other mental and physical disorders, such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and other physical, neurological and mental disorders. Capgras delusion is most often seen in people who have psychotic disorders and those who have suffered some kind of head trauma.
Researchers believe that Capgras delusion is caused by damage to the frontal lobe, but they are yet to explain what actually causes the social, familial and environmental disconnection which causes the misidentification of people, animals and objects in a person's life. It is not completely understood, for example, why a husband could see his wife and believe she is someone who is identical to his wife and only pretending to be her.

In the other hand, Capgras Delusion is different from “Prosopagnosia”. It is also a disorder wherein the people can see a face for the hundredth time and still not know who it is

The brain is the most mysterious part of the human system, and inch by inch, we are knocking our doors towards the walls of enlightenment. Although at this time, the reason behind the emotional disconnection of people with Capgras Delusion cannot be explained, technological advances may later on describe it for the information of people. So now, beware of your self-proclaimed "impostors"!