Abstract/Results:
| ABSTRACT:
Background
Belief in and engagement with mediumship persists in the UK despite a broadly secular cultural landscape and ongoing public scepticism. Mediumship practices have also shifted significantly in recent years, with digital platforms, online spiritual communities, and livestreamed readings reshaping how individuals access and experience mediumistic communication. Yet little is known about the sociocultural and psychological factors that influence these beliefs and practices, or how mediumship functions within contemporary experiences of bereavement.
Aims
• To explore the sociocultural and psychological factors that shape belief in and engagement with mediumship in the UK.
• To examine how individuals navigate stigma, disclosure, and identity in relation to mediumistic experiences.
Methods
An online qualitative survey was fully answered by 40 UK-based believers on the Qualtrics platform. Inductive Thematic Analysis was performed, and two main themes were identified: (i) Negotiation to accuracy and scepticism and (ii) Navigation of legitimate versus illegitimate mediumship.
Results
Participants described mediumship as a meaningful and identity affirming practice shaped by personal experiences, cultural narratives, and digital environments. Many reported navigating stigma through selective disclosure and by seeking supportive communities, particularly online. Digital platforms were seen as expanding access to mediumship, enabling new forms of connection, visibility, and practice. Mediumship also played a significant role in bereavement, offering reassurance, continued bonds, and emotional support. Across accounts, participants emphasised the tension between private belief and public scepticism within a secular UK context.
Conclusions
The findings highlight the complex interplay of sociocultural, psychological, and digital factors that shape contemporary engagement with mediumship. Digital spaces seem to be amending how mediumship is practised and experienced, while secularism and stigma continue to influence how individuals negotiate belief and disclosure. Mediumship appears to serve important functions in bereavement, identity, and meaning making, outlining the need for further research into its role within modern spiritual and emotional life.
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