Psychologists examine afterlife beliefs amid AI influence

The essay reflects on how children conceptualize the afterlife, using the iconic scene from the 1999 film *The Sixth Sense* as a cultural touchstone. The author, a developmental psychology PhD candidate, describes a research project that investigates how the living think about the minds of the dead, rather than proving or disproving any supernatural claims. The work is conducted at the after‑life beliefs laboratory of the University of Otago in New Zealand, where researchers study the cognitive processes behind after‑life ideas.

The piece also notes that advances in artificial intelligence have intensified public fascination with the afterlife, making people feel “weird” about these topics. It argues that the brain continues to simulate the existence of deceased individuals regardless of belief, highlighting the psychological underpinnings of ghostly experiences.