Something Wicked

So, yesterday I promised to get into the operationalization of what exactly consisted of a "haunting". In this case, I think a two part question is in order, just to try and drill down to the basics of what (general) elements are involved. The first bit is deceptively simple, and again, can be culled from most stories but is almost never stated outright:

What senses/forces are being manipulated in an inexplicable way?

 

This simple question alone allows one to straight up start classifying exactly what one is dealing with. Does it manipulate sound, by banging and slamming things (but never visibly)? Does it manipulate sight, by appearing as a shadowy figure or translucent being? Does it manipulate touch, by causing things to be visibly picked up and moved or by grabbing occupants of the property? That differentiation right there makes a huge difference in the sorts of patterns one sees reoccur throughout stories  and experiences. Also, while we're on the subject, I think that overall, there are five sorts of manipulations that can occur (from what I've read so far, anyways): sound, sight (a.k.a., a spectre), touch (also known as a poltergeist), environmental (including temperature control, taste, smell, and other physical factors), and empathic (those that cause intense feelings and [as I'll argue about tomorrow] possessions). I think that covers most of the bases, especially since each category of manifestation doesn't necessarily preclude any other category, but then we need to have the followup question depending on what categories it falls into:

 

If sound, are they abiotic (obviously created by non-living components, like chains clanking or doors slamming) or biotic sounds (those needing a living organism to cause, like footsteps, or whispering, or screaming)?

 

If touch, is the movement tracked while being in the same room with the moving objects, or is it only noticed after the inhabitants come into the area in question (do they see it happen or does weird stuff occur only when they're not in the room)?

 

If sight, is the shape humanoid or not? And regardless of that answer, is it luminous, shadowed, translucent, or normal-appearing? 

If environmental, is it small-scale or large-scale (in this case, is the experience confined to a restricted area or does the experiencer feel completely transported to another place and time)?

 

If empathic, what is the severity of the feelings felt (does the feeling feel like a vague impression, or is it severe enough to cause the experiencer to actually commit specific acts)?

 

So, with a basic question and a followup question as to specific parameters defining the phenomenon, we've basically summed up three quarters of almost every ghost story out there. Not that the "fluff" is unnecessary, building a comprehensive account of the happenings is important. But honestly, don't you think it would make things so much easier to just be able to discuss these things in more concrete terms rather than "you had to be there, but let me tell you what happened as best I can from beginning to end"...