Science says two major triggers can cause déjà vu.
Photo via (cc) Flickr user Edward Balch
Everyone has moments where they see something and think to themselves, “Wait, this has happened before, right?” These quick mental blips, commonly known as déjà vu (French for “already seen”) can make the average gal feel like an oracle or prophet. Studies show that about 60 percent of people experience it, with the majority in the 15-to-25 age range. Déjà vu is difficult for psychologists to study because it happens so quickly and unpredictably.
Although there is no scientific consensus on what causes déjà vu, and as many as 40 credible theories abound, science has identified two major triggers. Biological déjà vu is caused by a structural or chemical abnormality in the brain, and associative déjà vu is caused by an outside stimuli. Check out this cool video, “How Does Déjà Vu Work?” by the folks at How Stuff Works to learn more about déjà vu and its opposite, jamais vu.
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