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This chapter approaches the question of why people are interested in the circles and looks at the effects they have on humans! The connection between the mind and anomalous events is looked at, in the light of Earth Mysteries research, and we explore some of the motivations of human circlemakers. The most obvious attraction of the circles lies in their aesthetic appeal This rests on their shape, symmetrical organization and in their colouring and setting. Photographed from the air, the fields show a pleasing contrast between the straight parallel tramlines and the swirled flowing circular designs. The best of the complex shapes show a combination of circular and linear features, which have a harmonious effect on the senses. Our origins as humans are as hunter gatherers and this deep layer of our psyche has characteristics which reflect the evolutionary pressures of this mode of existence. The capacity to sort, categorize and map were vital components of the natural history intelligence domain, which enabled these early humans to forage effectively. In addition, the capacity to read and interpret signs in the natural world are characteristic mental activities that natural selection has shaped. I believe these origins are reflected in our fascination with collecting; almost everyone possesses some kind of collection, often Part of the attraction that events like crop circles hold can be understood by our response to the stimulus of a sequence of eye-catching artefacts in the natural environment. We are prompted to ‘collect’ and catalogue these events and then to try and understand their occurrence. The scientific approach to any subject requires a 'stamp collecting’ phase, in which data is collected and sorted before it can be analysed or interpreted. This activity has been at the heart of circles researchers’ endeavours in the field and in the air, and produces the stream of images that have sustained massive Thus the aesthetic appeal of the circles combines with a strong instinct to observe and categorize events in the natural environment. When these components are added to our appetite for the mysterious, we begin to see how individuals can become obsessive in their involvement with the circles. It is a truism to say that we love a mystery. Actually, we love a mystery when it has what appears as a satisfying explanation, as evidenced in our enduring consumption of 'whodunits'. We would be intensely frustrated by a detective story in which there was no pay off at the end, or explanation of the preceding events. This desire for solutions has fuelled the attempts of researchers to explain the circles, which can be seen as more indicative of the individuals’ psychology than anything objective about the circles themselves. The history of circles research may be seen as one in which insufficient 'stamp collecting’ has been done, with individuals imprinting their own particular preconceptions on the data, sometimes shoehorning the facts into their own particular theory. A variety of motives can be seen; the desire for notoriety or celebrity, the need to uphold science or to challenge it, or to bolster a minority world view, even a political agenda. 9. Psychology and the circles Appeal of The Circles to the amusement of others. worldwide interest in the subject.