People who have unusual hearing experiences as children are more likely to ‘hear the dead’

People who are prone to high levels of absorption in mental tasks and activities are more likely to claim to be able to “hear the dead”, a new study has found.

Scientists have discovered the key trait of “clairaudient spirit mediums” who claim to be able to hear the voices of the dead.

Their findings suggest that people prone to immersive mental activities, as well as those who were exposed to an “ unusual hearing experience ” early in life, are more likely to claim to be able to communicate with the deceased.

The team hopes the results will help better understand the painful or uncontrollable experiences of hearing voices.

Scientists have discovered key traits of ‘clairaudient spirit mediums’ who claim to be able to hear the dead (stock image)

In the study, researchers from Durham University conducted a survey of 65 psychics from the National Union of Spiritualists.

More than 44% of participants said they heard the voice of the dead daily, while 33.8% said they heard a voice in the last day.

While spirits were mostly heard inside the head, 31.7% said they felt the voices coming from inside and outside the head.

To understand the key characteristics of these mediums, the researchers interviewed 143 members of the general public for comparison.

The results revealed that mediums were more likely to engage in mental or imaginative activities, or to experience altered states of consciousness.

Psychics were also more likely to report hearing voices early in life.

Speaking to MailOnline, Dr Adam Powell of Durham University’s Hearing the Voice project and the Department of Theology and Religion and lead author of the study, explained: “ Some remember seeing and hearing a loved one who has died in their own home, often in their bedroom at night. .

“Others remember having conversations with invisible others as soon as they remember.

Spiritualists reported hearing the dead for the first time at an average age of 21.7 years. However, 18% of the spiritualists said they had heard voices “for as long as they could remember”.

Dr Powell said: “Our results say a lot about ‘learning and desire’.

The survey found that psychics who could ‘hear the dead’ were more likely to report hearing voices early in their lives (stock image)

“For our participants, the principles of spiritualism seem to make sense both of the extraordinary experiences of childhood as well as of the frequent auditory phenomena they experience as practicing mediums.

“ But all of these experiences may result more from having certain early tendencies or abilities than just believing in the possibility of contacting the dead if one tries hard enough. ”

While members of the public with high absorption rates were more likely to believe in the paranormal, the team found no significant link between belief and propensity to hallucinations.

In 1848, two sisters in upstate New York, Maggie and Kate Fox, reported hearing “bangs” and “bangs” which they interpreted as communication from a spirit in their home. These events and these sisters would ultimately be considered the initiators of spiritualism

Overall, the results indicate that some people may be uniquely predisposed to absorption and are more likely to report hearing the deaths.

Dr Peter Moseley, co-author of the study at the University of Northumbria, said: “Spiritists tend to report unusual auditory experiences which are positive, start early in life and are often able to follow. to control.

“Understanding how these develop is important, as it could help us better understand the painful or uncontrollable experiences of hearing voices.