The life review experience: Qualitative and quantitative characteristics

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• The life-review experience (LRE) is a fascinating phenomenon involving vivid recall of past life events.
• While LRE is known in near-death experiences, its basis and occurrence in the general population require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the cognitive and psychological underpinnings of the life-review experience.
• To explore the phenomenology of LRE in a broader population beyond extreme circumstances.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews with 7 individuals who experienced full LRE.
• Development of an LRE questionnaire and score based on qualitative findings.
• Quantitative analysis of the LRE questionnaire administered to 264 diverse participants.

Main Results:

• Qualitative analysis revealed diverse LRE subtypes based on order, continuity, duration, future projection, valence, emotions, and perspective.
• Quantitative data showed a normal distribution of LRE scores in the general population.
• LRE subcomponents appear to be present even in healthy individuals.

Conclusions:

• The life-review experience possesses well-defined characteristics.
• Subcomponents of LRE are observable in healthy individuals, suggesting an underlying cognitive representation of life events as a continuum.
• This cognitive continuum may be more pronounced under psychological or physiological stress.