Psychical Research

PSYCHICAL RESEARCH is the study of the supernormal faculties (real or supposed) of human personality. The word "supernormal" is merely a short equivalent for "not recognized by general scientific opinion," and is free of all implications of the "supernatural." The function of psychical research is to col lect and weigh all the available evidence for and against all such supposed faculties, to the end that they may either be accepted by general scientific opinion, or may safely be consigned to oblivion.

Thus some of the subjects mentioned in the original programme of the Society for Psychical Research (founded 1882) have already passed out of its scope, "hypnotism" for example, and "Reichenbach's rays." Mainly as the result of the labours of members of the S.P.R. in different countries, the study of hyp notism was brought to a point where it could be handed over to specialists in medical psychology, while the existence of "Reich enbach's rays" was fairly well disproved.

But, for the most part, the "debatable phenomena" of 1882 remain almost as debatable in 1929. This would be a surprising fact, in view of the number of scientists and philosophers of the highest eminence, who have interested themselves in psychical research, if the study were not one of exceptional difficulty.

"Mental" and "Physical" Phenomena.

It is customary to divide the phenomena of psychical research into two classes, "mental" and "physical." If a table is moved without the appli cation of any force known to science, that is a "physical" phe nomenon. If a medium in trance gives information outside his normal knowledge, that is a "mental" phenomenon ; there is not necessarily anything supernormal in trance-speaking : the super normality is to be found, if anywhere, in the content of the words spoken. If, however, the information is given through a trumpet floating in the air at a distance from the medium, that is both a "physical" and a "mental" phenomenon. The main problem of psychical research on the "physical" side is whether the alleged phenomena in fact occur; with the "mental" phenomena the evi dence permits us to accept the occurrence of some of them as a working hypothesis, and to proceed to the further stage of attempting an explanation.

The reasons why the two branches of research vary so widely as to the progress made are not far to seek. The student of mental

phenomena can avail himself of three lines of approach, and compare the results obtained along one line with those obtained along the other two. He can compare the records of professional trance mediums with a large quantity of good evidence for spon taneous phenomena on the one hand, and with the results of experiments conducted with quite non-professional automatists of good repute on the other. The student of physical phenomena is more limited : such spontaneous phenomena as Poltergeists do not, for reasons discussed later, give him much serious assistance ; the unprofessional "physical" medium has been, since the death of Stainton Moses, hard to discover; he is, therefore, practically confined to the observation of professional mediums.

Unfortunately the quality of professional "physical" mediums has declined since the golden age of D. D. Home (died 1886). Home, who accepted no fees, but lived by his mediumship, and may therefore be classed as semi-professional, sat under condi tions, as regards light in particular, much more favourable for observation than modern mediums will submit to, and enjoyed an immunity from exposure which most of his successors may envy. Against this it must be noted that the technique of investigation was then in its infancy, and that while many of Home's sitters were persons of distinction, such as Crookes, they were not experts in this particular line.

Spontaneous Physical

Phenomena.—Poltergeists (a Ger man term meaning "Racketing Spirits") constitute the principal type of spontaneous physical phenomena. The word, which has now became a technical term without any spiritistic implications, is used to describe those frequently recurring cases of strange noises, movements of furniture and breakages of crockery which appear inexplicable to the inmates of the houses where they occur, and also similar cases of stone-throwing out of doors. Cases of this kind have been recorded for many hundreds of years, and from all parts of the world, civilized and barbarous; familiar in stances in England are the Tedworth Drummer (1662) and the occurrences in the Wesley household at Epworth (1716-1717).