A possible approach for researching purported spirit communication: an empirical-anecdotal investigation

Can a digital clock that behaves erratically function as a flexible, open (random event generator-like) timing system to investigate purported communication with deceased individuals? If such theophysical effects exist, what implications do they have for mind-body and integrative medicine? Stimulated by research into spirit communication by Schwartz, Russek et al. (1999), Elayne Russek (ER) hypothesized that her deceased husband, noted cardiologist Henry I. Russek (HIR), might be influencing a digital clock that had become erratic. A repeated measures-within-subject experiment was designed such that daytime baseline data could be compared with the results of requests to slow or speed up the erratic clock during the night. Unfortunately, the AM-PM light was no longer functional, which meant that AM-PM information had to be inferred by applying an inference rule to the complete set of data. When this was done, a statistically significant effect was obtained. ER communicated to HIR that the experiment was inadequate because of the AM-PM defect and asked him for a "sign" that he was involved. She unexpectedly awoke in the middle of the night to find the AM-PM light flashing. The light became functional the following day, and subsequent data collection confirmed the inference rule. The combined empirical plus anecdotal nature of research in this area are considered, along with implications of the hypothesis for mind-body and integrative medicine.