Mediums' Brains: Dissociation or Special State?
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Do people who channel spirits have better cognitive abilities?
Imagine sitting across from someone who claims they can channel the voices of the deceased — their eyes closed, speaking in different tones and personalities. What's actually happening in their brain during these moments? Brazilian researchers decided to find out by testing 19 spirit mediums with a battery of cognitive tests, comparing those with over 10 years of experience to relative newcomers. The results paint an intriguing picture of minds that seem to function differently during their unusual practice.
Brazilian spirit mediums scored as well as or better than average on cognitive tests.
In Brazil's vibrant Spiritist tradition, some people claim to channel deceased spirits through trance states, speaking their messages aloud. Researchers wondered whether this practice might affect cognitive functioning - either enhancing mental abilities through training or potentially causing harm. This study was conducted specifically within Brazilian Spiritist culture, so findings may not apply to mediums from other cultural backgrounds.
Spirit mediums showed normal to above-average cognitive performance, with experienced practitioners demonstrating significantly better cognitive flexibility during trance states.
Key Findings
- Surprisingly, all the mediums performed at average or above-average levels on cognitive tests compared to typical Brazilians.
- The more experienced mediums showed significantly better performance on tasks requiring executive function - the mental skills needed for planning and decision-making.
- However, performance varied by test type, with 90% scoring well on spatial reasoning but only 42% excelling at verbal fluency tasks.
What Is This About?
The researchers recruited 19 Brazilian spirit mediums who regularly practice 'psychophonic' mediumship - where they believe deceased spirits speak through them during trance states. They divided them into two groups: 11 experienced mediums (practicing for over 10 years) and 8 newer mediums (1-5 years of practice). All participants took a battery of standard cognitive tests measuring memory, attention, problem-solving, and verbal skills, plus questionnaires about their mental health and any past trauma.
Researchers tested 19 Brazilian spirit mediums using standard cognitive tests and mental health questionnaires, comparing those with more than 10 years of experience to those with 1-5 years.
All mediums scored at or above average on cognitive tests compared to Brazilian norms, with more experienced mediums showing significantly better performance on executive function tasks.
How Good Is the Evidence?
All 19 mediums scored at median or above on cognitive tests - that's 100% performing at least averagely, compared to the expected 50% in any random population sample.
Supporters argue this shows mediumship practice may actually enhance certain cognitive abilities, similar to meditation training. Skeptics point out that people with better cognitive abilities might simply be more likely to become successful mediums, and the small sample size makes it hard to draw firm conclusions. The study doesn't prove that trance states cause cognitive enhancement - only that mediums aren't cognitively impaired.
Mainstream: The results likely reflect selection bias - cognitively able people become mediums, not the reverse. Moderate: Mediumship practice might offer cognitive benefits similar to other contemplative practices, warranting further study. Frontier: This supports the idea that altered states of consciousness can enhance human cognitive potential.
Many people assume that trance states or spiritual practices might impair cognitive function or indicate mental illness. This study suggests the opposite - these mediums showed normal to above-normal cognitive performance and no signs of cognitive impairment.
To establish whether mediumship practice enhances cognition, we'd need larger studies comparing mediums to matched control groups before and after training, with pre-registered protocols and blinded assessments. This study meets the criteria of using standardized cognitive tests and finding significant group differences, but lacks the controlled design needed for causal claims.
All subjects reached scores at the median or higher in comparison to standardized scores of Brazilians on cognitive tests, with more experienced mediums showing better performance on executive function tasks.
Stance: Mixed
What Does It Mean?
The most experienced mediums actually performed better on cognitive flexibility tests while in trance — suggesting their brains might be operating in an enhanced, not diminished, state during these mysterious experiences.
Think of how musicians often develop enhanced auditory processing, or how taxi drivers develop better spatial memory. This study explores whether regularly entering trance states might similarly train certain mental abilities.
If these findings hold up in larger studies, they could reshape our understanding of consciousness and mental flexibility. The data suggest that what we consider 'altered states' might actually represent enhanced cognitive functioning in specific domains. This could have implications for therapeutic applications and our broader understanding of human consciousness.
This study shows the importance of using standardized, norm-referenced tests when studying unusual populations - comparing mediums to established Brazilian cognitive norms provided meaningful context for interpreting their performance.
Understanding Terms
What This Study Claims
Findings
All 19 spirit mediums scored at median or higher levels on cognitive tests compared to standardized Brazilian population scores
moderate90% of mediums scored at median or higher on spatial reasoning tests, while only 42% reached this level on verbal fluency tests
moderateMore experienced mediums (10+ years) showed significantly better performance on executive function tasks than less experienced mediums (1-5 years)
moderateInterpretations
The study provides evidence for cognitive health in subjects practicing trance mediumship.
moderateLimitations
The study had a small sample size of only 19 participants, limiting the generalizability of findings
strongThis summary is for general information about current research. It does not constitute medical advice. The scientific interpretation of these results is debated among researchers. If personally affected, please consult qualified professionals.