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Definition: The Society for Psychical Research (SPR) was founded in England in 1882 in order to scientifically and systematically investigate claims of psychic powers in order to determine whether or not they truly existed and, if so, what they were, how they operated, and where they came from. Although many of the initial members were scientists who were concerned with the degree to which modern science was not leaving sufficient room for the existence of a soul (and thus hoped that proof of spirits would restore credibility to believing in souls), actual control of the organization rested with established spiritualist organizations.
The origin of the SPR occurred with a conference of the British National Association of Spiritualists in 1882. The development was supported by members of the Central Association of Spiritualists and other spiritualists who were eager to have the imprimatur of science and scientific research.
The first president of the SPR was Henry Sidgwick (1838-1900), a professor of moral philosophy at Cambridge University. Although early on both hopes and standards were high, gradually those standards dropped as the high hopes failed to be supported. Because so little real evidence of psychic power was found, the SPR found itself funding and publishing research which it never would have even considered early on.
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