How do differences in native language affect out-of-body experiences?
Hirotaka Uchitomi, Yuma Yamamoto, Kishiko Ueno, Yuko Nomura, Yoshihiro Miyake
Frontiers in Psychology 2024 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1350980 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Replication experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 19 |
| Population | Age-matched native English and Japanese speakers |
| Intervention | scientifically induced out-of-body experience |
| Keywords | English Japanese Obe Cognitive phenomena Native language Out-of-body experiences Sense of embodiment |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | No significant differences in the induction of out-of-body experiences were found between native English and Japanese speakers, though qualitative differences in introspective reports suggested possible influences of linguistic background. |
Abstract
Out-of-body experiences are scientifically inducible cognitive phenomena attracting global attention due to their application in the Metaverse and medical care. Despite previous studies suggesting that one's native language influences one's cognition, the out-of-body experiences of humans with different native languages have not been investigated separately. This study replicated an experiment from a 2007 study to investigate whether differences in native language affect the ability to have scientifically induced out-of-body experiences. A total of 19 age-matched native English and Japanese speakers completed the experiment in two blocks. Thereafter, their experiences were evaluated using questionnaires, and their responses were compared. Importantly, no significant differences between the English and Japanese native-speaker conditions were found. The results showed that out-of-body experiences were induced similarly in both groups, suggesting that people can have out-of-body experiences as a response to similar stimuli, regardless of their native language. However, differences in participants' introspective reports suggested that their experiences may differ qualitatively, possibly, due to the different linguistic backgrounds. The elucidation of the mechanisms of science-assisted out-of-body experiences that consider different cultural and cognitive characteristics, such as native language, could lead to the investigation of their applications in the borderless Metaverse and medicine.