Ouija board

The Ouija (pronounced wee-jee or wee-jah) is a game board supposedly used to talk to the dead. It is designed to be a fun activity based on self-deception. They are also called "spirit boards" or "talking boards. It is a flat board with the numbers 0-9 and all the letters of the alphabet. It has the words "yes" and "no" at the top with the word "goodbye" on the bottom. The board uses a planchette, which is a small wooden plank in the shape of an upside down heart. It has a glass circle (or plain hole) in the top. The player asks a question. Then one or more players guide the planchette to the letters or numbers to spell out a message. However, Scientists know the game is based on the ideomotor effect. A participant believes they are not controlling the message, that it comes from ghosts or spirits. It can seem very mysterious. But anyone can test a Ouija board by blindfolding or hiding the board from the ones moving the planchette. What usually results is gibberish and no message.