Virtual mortality and near-death experience after a prolonged exposure in a shared virtual reality may lead to positive life-attitude changes

Barberia, Itxaso; Oliva, Ramon; Bourdin, Pierre; Slater, Mel

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0203358

Cited by 49 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 72 publications

(86 reference statements)

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“…We assume that NDE-like memory, associated with positive emotions, may be induced in psychotherapy using hypnotic induction for therapeutic purposes. Moreover, a recent study showed that individuals who experienced embodiment using immersive virtual reality and witnessed a “simulated” NDE report positive life-attitude changes 56 . We thus believe that an integration of experimental and clinical research results might lead to the application of hypnosis in clinical and therapeutic contexts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurophenomenology of near-death experience memory in hypnotic recall: a within-subject EEG study

Martial

Mensen

Charland‐Verville

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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The neurobiological basis of near-death experiences (NDEs) is unknown, but a few studies attempted to investigate it by reproducing in laboratory settings phenomenological experiences that seem to closely resemble NDEs. So far, no study has induced NDE-like features via hypnotic modulation while simultaneously measuring changes in brain activity using high-density EEG. Five volunteers who previously had experienced a pleasant NDE were invited to re-experience the NDE memory and another pleasant autobiographical memory (dating to the same time period), in normal consciousness and with hypnosis. We compared the hypnosis-induced subjective experience with the one of the genuine experience memory. Continuous high-density EEG was recorded throughout. At a phenomenological level, we succeeded in recreating NDE-like features without any adverse effects. Absorption and dissociation levels were reported as higher during all hypnosis conditions as compared to normal consciousness conditions, suggesting that our hypnosis-based protocol increased the felt subjective experience in the recall of both memories. The recall of a NDE phenomenology was related to an increase of alpha activity in frontal and posterior regions. This study provides a proof-of-concept methodology for studying the phenomenon, enabling to prospectively explore the NDE-like features and associated EEG changes in controlled settings. Many experiences, ranging from an altered perception of time to a sensation of separation from the body, may reflect cases of dissociative state as they involve mental separation of components (such as consciousness, memory, perception, and identity) that would ordinarily be processed together as an experience. Some of these non-ordinary states of consciousness seem closely related to the emergence of potential pathways for regulating awareness in crisis situations 1,2. After having experienced situations of intense physical or emotional danger (e.g., severe trauma), some individuals may report dissociative states as well as vivid extraordinary and mystical perceptions, such as out-of-body experiences (OBEs), encountering with deceased relatives, or an intense feeling of peacefulness 3-5. These phenomenological experiences are commonly referred to as "near-death experience" (NDE). It has been assumed that these subjective experiences are psychological responses to trauma in order to cope with it, which benefits the individual at that time 6. A few decades ago, the prevalence of NDEs seemed difficult to apprehend. Most recently, studies have estimated their recall to be between 4-8% in the overall population 7-9 and 10-23% when only considering cardiac arrest survivors 10-12. Since the first descriptions of the phenomenon by Albert Heim 13 and Victor Egger 14 , different sets of specific phenomenological features have been identified (e.g. 15-17), ordered 18 , and quantified by standardized scales (e.g. 19). Recent research has led to the hypothesis that disruptions in information processing underlying dissociative detachment m...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neurophenomenology of near-death experience memory in hypnotic recall: a within-subject EEG study

Martial

Mensen

Charland‐Verville

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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“…The Spanish translation of these questions and accompanying text used in the experiment, together with the original materials in English, are available at https://osf.io/f9ya7/. The Spanish version of the questions used in the experimental condition was taken verbatim from Barberia et al [21].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are we truly special and unique? A replication of Goldenberg et al. (2001)

et al. 2019

Self Cite

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According to the mortality salience hypothesis of terror management theory, reminders of our future death increase the necessity to validate our cultural worldview and to enhance our self-esteem. In Experiment 2 of the study ‘I am not an animal: Mortality salience, disgust, and the denial of human creatureliness’, Goldenberg et al. (Goldenberg et al. 2001 J. Exp. Psychol. Gen. 130, 427–435. (doi:10.1037/0096-3445.130.3.42710.1037/0096-3445.130.3.427)) observed that participants primed with questions about their death provided more positive evaluations to an essay describing humans as distinct from animals than control participants presented with questions regarding another aversive situation. In a replication of this experiment conducted with 128 volunteers, we did not observe evidence for a mortality salience effect.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are we truly special and unique? A replication of Goldenberg et al. (2001)

Rodríguez‐Ferreiro¹,

Barberia²,

González-Guerra³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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According to the mortality salience hypothesis of terror management theory, reminders of our future death increase the necessity to validate our cultural worldview and to enhance our self-esteem. In Experiment 2 of the study “I am not an animal: Mortality salience, disgust, and the denial of human creatureliness”, Goldenberg et al. (2001) observed that participants primed with questions about their death provided more positive evaluations to an essay describing humans as distinct from animals than control participants presented with questions regarding another aversive situation. In a replication of this experiment conducted with 128 volunteers, we did not observe evidence for a mortality salience effect.

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Virtual mortality and near-death experience after a prolonged exposure in a shared virtual reality may lead to positive life-attitude changes

Cited by 49 publications

References 72 publications

Neurophenomenology of near-death experience memory in hypnotic recall: a within-subject EEG study

Neurophenomenology of near-death experience memory in hypnotic recall: a within-subject EEG study

Are we truly special and unique? A replication of Goldenberg et al. (2001)

Are we truly special and unique? A replication of Goldenberg et al. (2001)

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