What would you look for in finding team members for investigations?

Question

if you were going to go out and hand pick people to be on "your" investigative team, what would you be looking for in them. Experience, trades, specialties, ect.

Answer 1

Intuites that like science as paraknowledge.

Answer 2

I'd put together people of different expertises.

You'd want someone with an investigative thought process capable of finding details most people would overlook and putting together patterns or connections that most people wouldn't see.

Having a team member with a solid background in statistics would be useful since you otherwise have no idea whether occurrences are merely random events or whether various events are even statistically correlated!

I think it would be good to have someone who has studied how the same phenomena are explained differently by different cultures and how their various witch-doctors and occult seem to cure them in order to look for commonalities in the cures to pinpoint what's actually working here.  For example, is the cure a mere placebo effect?  Or is there a common ingredient or psychological approach used in the treatment?  Perhaps as a result, a natural remedy or treatment could be discovered in such a case before the disorder is even scientifically understood, which could in turn enlighten us as to what causes the disorder and how to prevent it.

For testing supposed hauntings, you'd probably want a physicist knowledgeable of the various forms of energy who could use, tweak, or even design apparati specifically for detecting very faint signals; in fact, a physicist would be useful for very many things -- not necessarily a single PhD because they all have their own specializations.  So you might either involve different physicists for different inquiries or have someone with a bachelor's in physics who made solid "A's" all around.

To test potential UFO landing sites, you'd want someone who could test specimens found in the area, compare them to known specimens from that vicinity, and determine where any foreign specimens are known to come from (if any place at all) to start putting hints together as to who/what caused the anomaly.  If different landing sites show specimens from a common area, you might be onto something.

For testing cases of supposed possession, you'd want someone familiar with psychology and disorders (or maybe one for each).

I'd check up on their backgrounds if possible.

I'd probe to see whether candidates want to understand phenomena regardless of the explanations or have a bias to prove one world view true!  If any candidate has a religious, emotional, or personal bias of any kind, they would inevitably manipulate data and form faulty conclusions.  I'd consider anyone with a bias useless and politely dismiss them regardless of how desparately they might think they want to "help."  True science does not bias or force results.

Finally, I'd pose some riddles to potential team members.  If they can't solve simple riddles, how would they ever have a chance of solving life's greater riddles?

Such an undertaking wouldn't be easy, and a Mythbusters approach here would not suffice.  You're talking about tackling things that even scientists don't understand, so you'd really have to form a solid, diversified team (ideally of people who think well independently and work well with people).

Good luck!

Answer 3

For any kind of team I would pick one person who commands respect of all and has a good ability to assimilate results/findings of individuals and then others with complementing capabilities. Though by complementing capabilities I do not mean exclusivity. All team members need to have similar background so that they understand each other well and still have their special capabilities complementing each other. This is required because no one can be an absolute genius about everything but the whole group should have an allround capability.

The group should have a mix of both experienced and young. Experience always helps but youth brings in new possibilities and are not prejudiced due to past experiences.

Answer 4

Well if past studies are any measure, the best trait to look for is credulity.

Answer 5

I would look for someone with an open mind who could make observations based on fact, who could help compile logical explainations in order to eliminate the possibility of error. Someone who was skilled in psychology, photography, video, audio, electronic equipment (in case you need to use the equipment that the tv guys use). I would look for researchers and a good investigative talent possibly some form of forensics.

Answer 6

If i were to have someone go with me, id want someone with some experience, someone that has had a couple of run in,s with paranormal, and that can relate to how some of these occurences work..and know it exist no matter what... It would be hard to have some one with no experience what so ever, but has an interest in paranormal, as many people start thinking, its our imaginations, when they dont see or hear anything.... where a person with some experience can relate with many things...Investigating paranormal, is a hard thing to do, as we cannt quite grasp it  in our hands...its there but its not..(you know what i mean) you have to be in the right place at the right time, and lots of patience.....Its kind of like searching for a shooting star for evidence, you might be lucky to catch sight of one, but in a second its gone....it disappears as quick as it came.....I find many people first get excited by the idea of it,,>>> cause its supernatural,.. but when they dont see anything, or get any evidence time again and time again... they become frustrated with the idea of it, and blame people for lying about it...And along comes a skeptic ..lol......

Sorry the beginning came out wrong >>>Yes i would have some one with me, that had no experience, but had a deep interest  in paranormal, and would be willing to explore, as long they didnt loose interest when something doesnt happen for a while..They must have some understanding, that we cannt just make it happen on command, and in that time, they cannt start thinking, it doesnt exist, because they havent seen anything happen yet...Theres two different types of passions/ interests... The long road ..and the short road......

Answer 7

I am not one to start my own group.  

Honesty, honesty, honesty!!!  Being opened minded is good too, but not to the point where everything is paranormal.

Passion, drive & the willingness & heart, to really be able to help others & find the truth & reasonable answers.

Answer 8

I'd prefer investigating on my own.If I did pick a team,I'd want people I like, who are open-minded.Skeptic or believer to me wouldn't matter.With just one exception.If a person is a true believer in the paranormal(I am not).I'd want them to believe based on personal experience.If they just believe because they've heard some spooky stories.I'd identify them as closed -minded.Useless for any investigation.

Answer 9

Big, beefy guys with buns of steel and six-pack abs! LOL  Just kidding...

Patience, ability to discern, intelligience, calm demeanor, courage, open-mindedness.  You know, perfection!

I actually know somebody like that.  He can be a jerk, but only to those who deserve it!  And he is good at figuring out who those are!  And that is a plus too.