 The Society turned the initial challenge into an annual event titled the " Halloween Challenge " ; a scientific test to investigate if professional mediums could demonstrate psychic abilities in a controlled setting . In 2012 , researchers at Goldsmiths , University of London conducted the challenge with two professional mediums , who both agreed beforehand that it was a fair test of their abilities , asking them to attempt to identify information about five volunteers they had not previously met and could not see . The experiment involved the mediums writing details about the volunteers , who then had to identify themselves from the descriptions . With a success rate of one in five , the results showed little evidence of the mediums ' claimed psychic ability . One of the mediums described the test as " designed to confirm the researchers ' preconceptions " , saying that she had to work face @-@ to @-@ face to make a connection . 
