A feature-based approach to the comparative study of "nonordinary" experiences

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cross-cultural psychology
• Cognitive science

Background:

• Historically, comparisons of nonordinary experiences (NOEs) like hysteria and mediumship were limited by disciplinary and cultural factors.
• Current psychological approaches often reify cultural constructs, leading to inconsistent appraisal of experiences with similar or distinct phenomenological features across cultures.

Approach:

• Proposes a renewed comparative approach for NOEs that prioritizes subjectively recognizable phenomenological features over culturally specific constructs.
• Builds on event cognition literature to break down lived experiences into constituent features and associated claims.
• Examines the role of cultural learning in shaping experiences and the perception of ordinary versus nonordinary phenomena.

Key Points:

• A feature-based approach allows for more nuanced cross-cultural comparisons of NOEs.
• Shifts focus from abstract constructs to concrete, subjective experiential features.
• Offers a framework for understanding the diversity of human consciousness and belief systems.

Conclusions:

• A feature-based approach offers a viable method for comparing NOEs at the population level.
• This approach overcomes limitations of previous comparative methods by focusing on universal experiential elements.
• Facilitates a deeper understanding of the interplay between culture and subjective experience.