Citation

Over a century of mediumship research concludes that skilled mediums are able to report accurate and specific information about the deceased loved ones (termed discarnates) of living people (termed sitters) during anomalous information reception (AIR); that is, without any prior knowledge about the discarnates or sitters, in the absence of sensory feedback, and without using deceptive means. However, this historical body of proof-focused research does not directly address which parapsychological mechanisms are involved in AIR by mediums. The data, in and of themselves, support multiple hypotheses including the super-psi and psychic reservoir (collectively “psi”) models as well as the survival of consciousness hypothesis (or simply “survival”). However, by restricting research to proof-focused studies, investigators neglect important phenomenological mediumship processes underlying AIR and how those processes might address the survival hypothesis. This processfocused investigation of mediums’ experiences may lead to a better understanding of the source of the information mediums report during AIR. This paper briefly summarizes the results from recent process-focused studies of modern-day, American mental mediums’ experiences during ostensible communication with discarnates. We also suggest areas for future process-focused mediumship studies to more fully address the question at the root of mediumship research: Is there life after death?