This study examined changes in religious beliefs, attitudes, and practices in the lives of 50 near-death experiencers. I attempted to clarify whether these changes were to greater religiousness or to a deeper spirituality. I found that before the near-death experience (NDE), my respondents were no more religious or spiritually inclined than the general Australian population. Following the NDE there was a statistically significant shift towards spiritu ality on most items investigated.

This study examines the incidence of reports of psychic phe nomena and associated beliefs both before and after the near-death experience (NDE). The near-death experiencers interviewed reported no more psychic phenomena before the NDE than the general population. There was a statis tically significant increase following the NDE in the incidence of 14 of 15 items examined.The near-death experience (NDE) occurs when a person is on the brink of death, or in some cases actually clinically dead, and yet survives to recount an intense, profoundly meaningful experience. Although there have been a number of studies conducted in other countries, to date there has been no detailed empirical study of the phenomenon in Australia.In 1980

A recent interview with a 34-year-old man, currently serving a life sentence for murder, revealed a remarkable case of "near-death experience by proxy." The phenomenological features of the experience unfolded typically, with some slight variation in content. The immediate drastic changes in attitude and belief following the experience are described.In a study of the sociological implications of the near-death experi ence (NDE), I have been interviewing near-death experiencers throughout the eastern states of Australia. Along with this major sample, I have also sought to interview two smaller samples of(1) those who have been close to death, or clinically dead, yet have not had, or could not remember, a near-death experience, and (2) those who have had an experience that had many features similar to a near-death experience, but who were not actually close to death. It was in the latter context that I interviewed the 34-year-old man whom I will call Robert for the purposes of this paper. Journal of 8(4) Summer 1990 1990 Human Sciences Press JOURNAL OF NEAR-DEATH STUDIESWe talked for more than three hours, ninety minutes of which was tape recorded.

No abstract

A recent interview with a 34-year-old man, currently serving a life sentence for murder, revealed a remarkable case of "near-death experience by proxy." The phenomenological features of the experience unfolded typically, with some slight variation in content. The immediate drastic changes in attitude and belief following the experience are described. In a study of the sociological implications of the near-death experi ence (NDE), I have been interviewing near-death experiencers throughout the eastern states of Australia. Along with this major sample, I have also sought to interview two smaller samples of(1) those who have been close to death, or clinically dead, yet have not had, or could not remember, a near-death experience, and (2) those who have had an experience that had many features similar to a near-death experience, but who were not actually close to death. It was in the latter context that I interviewed the 34-year-old man whom I will call Robert for the purposes of this paper. I conducted the interview with Robert in the office of the prison psychologist, who also remained present, at a maximum security prison in a provincial center of New South Wales. Robert presented as a tall, well-built, good-looking man, open-faced, clear-eyed, and affable. Ms. Sutherland was formerly a lecturer in the Department of Social Work, University of Sydney. She is currently a doctoral student in the School of Sociology, University of New South Wales. Requests for reprints should be sent to Ms.