Halloween Demonic Possession?
It’s not that the pranksters were bad people. They just got caught up in the spirit of turn-of-the-century hijinks that they may otherwise have avoided. Psychologists have been discussing deindividuation associated with Halloween. Deindivuation makes people feel less responsible for their actions when they are participating in group behaviors. But Halloween heightens this recklessness.
Despite the decades-long effort to stem pranks, vandalism, and other petty criminal behavior related to celebrating Halloween, it still happens. Add in the anonymity of wearing a mask or a full costume, and studies find costumed children are more likely to misbehave than children not wearing costumes. While not possessed by demons, these youth are possessed with spirited hijinks hidden behind a homemade mask.
