Electrocortical activity associated with subjective communication with the deceased
Arnaud Delorme1, Julie Beischel, Leena Michel
1Institute of Noetic Sciences Petaluma, CA, USA ; Institute of Neural Computation, SCCN, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Frontiers in Psychology
|December 7, 2013
Summary
This study investigated communication with the deceased during meditation. Three of four mediums accurately perceived information about deceased individuals, with frontal theta brain activity correlating with accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Parapsychology
Background:
- Advanced meditative practices can induce unusual perceptions, including communication with deceased individuals.
- This state involves quieting mental noise and enhancing receptivity to subtle sensations.
- Previous reports suggest accurate information retrieval about deceased individuals under controlled conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the accuracy of information perceived about deceased individuals during meditative states.
- To explore the electrophysiological correlates of perceived communication with the deceased.
- To differentiate the mental state of communicating with the deceased from ordinary thinking and imagination.
Main Methods:
- Collected psychometric and brain electrophysiology data from six participants reporting mediumship abilities.
- Participants performed two tasks: (1) answering questions about a deceased person using only their first name, and (2) experiencing four distinct mental states (living person, biography, imaginary person, deceased person).
- Responses were scored for accuracy, and electrocortical activity was analyzed across conditions.
Main Results:
- Three of four evaluated mediums demonstrated accuracy significantly above chance (p < 0.03) in the first task.
- Significant correlation found between accuracy and frontal theta activity during silent mediumship communication in one participant (p < 0.01).
- Statistically significant differences in electrocortical activity (p < 0.01) were observed across all six participants among the four mental states, primarily in the gamma band.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest that perceived communication with the deceased can be an accurate phenomenon.
- Specific brain activity patterns, particularly frontal theta, may be associated with this ability.
- The distinct electrophysiological profile indicates that interacting mentally with the deceased is a unique mental state.
