German for “noisy spirit.” Poltergeist activity is rarely harmful to people, but is often bothersome, malicious, and even destructive. It can range from something no longer being in its usual location and being found in an unexpected place to the sudden movement of an object, along with loud noises and even the starting of fires. Although many people associated poltergeist activity with a spirit, some researchers see the agent of such activity as being a teenaged girl with temporary psychokinetic abilities.