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Do "near death experiences" occur only near death?
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
|June 1, 1981
Summary
Near-death experiences share features with other out-of-body events. While no characteristics are exclusive to near-death situations, specific distinguishing features were identified, differentiating them from other out-of-body experiences.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Consciousness Studies
Background:
- Near-death experiences (NDEs) are increasingly reported.
- The uniqueness of NDEs compared to other out-of-body experiences (OBEs) is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the factors comprising NDEs are unique to near-death situations.
- To compare NDEs with other OBEs to identify distinguishing features.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of reported near-death experiences and other out-of-body experiences.
- Statistical analysis (t-tests) to identify significant differences between the two groups.
Main Results:
- No characteristics were found to be exclusive to near-death situations.
- Statistical analysis suggests several distinguishing features differentiate NDEs from other OBEs.
Conclusions:
- Near-death experiences do not possess entirely unique characteristics.
- Specific features distinguish NDEs from other out-of-body experiences, warranting further investigation.