FYI - Please feel free to add to or correct anything in this post.
These are the four basic types of Hauntings:
Traditional Haunting
Residual Haunting
Poltergeist
Portal Haunting
Traditional Haunting: A traditional haunting occurs when a suicide, murder or some other traumatic event has occurred at the location. At the time of death the spirit refused to cross over because of these events. The spirit might remain earth bound because of strong emotions such as love or anger. In some cases they can't cross over because they don't realize that they have died.
Signs of a Traditional Haunting: Slamming doors, windows that open and close, strange noises and a feeling of presence. If you are fortunate enough to actually see the spirit they will appear as they were in life.
Residual Haunting: This is the most common type of haunting. Residual Haunting can be described as images and scenes that repeat themselves at various times because events have occurred at the location that cause an imprint to be left on the atmosphere. Traumatic events such as war that has caused some disturbance at the location leaves such an imprint. The battlefields of Gettysburg is said, by some, to be the most haunted place in America. It doesn't have to be something traumatic. It can be something as simple as a great love or some other emotion felt for the place that leaves an imprint.
Signs of a Residual Haunting: Strange noises, rapping, footsteps etc. Any visible spirits in this type of haunting will appear to be part of the surroundings playing a part that has been acted out many times before and unaware of the living people around them.
Poltergeist (meaning noisy ghost): Poltergeist often classified as a haunting is actually caused by a human agent in the house. This agent is often an adolescent girl (on rare occasions it can be a young boy of puberty age) who is troubled emotionally. It is believed that she/he manipulates physical objects through psychokinesis. Unconsciously some of the things caused by this child are objects moving? around, things flying off tables or walls and objects hurled across the room.
Signs of a Poltergeist: Most of the signs are listed above, objects moving around, things flying off tables or walls and objects hurled across the room. These actions are often violent and frequent.
Portal Haunting: I don't really know a whole lot about Portal Hauntings, and I don't think there are a lot of people that do Many people believe that portals from this dimension to another exist.
They are said to be gateways for the spirits from other dimensions to enter this dimension.
It is believed that cemeteries, where an unusual amount of paranormal activity has been reported. may contain portals. Portals are not limited to cemeteries they can be most anywhere. Portals are thought to be on the Ley Line of the earth. It is also believed by some, that ancient burial grounds, churches, and even the great pyramids were built on the Ley Line.
As I said before, I don't know a whole lot about this, so ya'll feel free to educate me. There is some pretty interesting theories about the Ley Line if you Google it.
Bonnie