Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis
Perceptual and Motor Skills December 1, 1983 DOI: 10.2466/pms.1983.57.3f.1255 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism Mystical experience |
| Keywords | Temporal lobe Religiosity Cognitive psychology Stimulation Developmental psychology Literature |
| Citations | 298 |
| Key points | Proposes that mystical and religious experiences are caused by transient electrical microseizures in the temporal lobe, which can be triggered by existential trauma and reduce death anxiety. |
Abstract
Mystical and religious experiences are hypothesized to be evoked by transient, electrical microseizures within deep structures of the temporal lobe. Although experiential details are affected by context and reinforcement history, basic themes reflect the inclusion of different amygdaloid-hippocampal structures and adjacent cortices. Whereas the unusual electrical coherence allows access to infantile memories of parents, a source of good expectations, specific stimulation evokes out-of-body experiences, space-time distortions, intense meaningfulness, and dreamy scenes. The species-specific similarities in temporal lobe properties enhance the homogeneity of cross-cultural experiences. They exist along a continuum that ranges from "early morning highs" to recurrent bouts of conversion and dominating religiosity. Predisposing factors include any biochemical or genetic factors that produce temporal lobe lability. A variety of precipitating stimuli provoke these experiences, but personal (life) crises and death bed conditions are optimal. These temporal lobe microseizures can be learned as responses to existential trauma because stimulation is of powerful intrinsic reward regions and reduction of death anxiety occurs. The implications of these transients as potent modifiers of human behavior are considered.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for 2 syntheses in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Argues that mystical and religious experiences are evoked by transient electrical microseizures in deep temporal lobe structures, often precipitated by existential crises and reducing death anxiety.
Synthesized
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State of the evidence: Mysticism Unclear
Proposes that mystical and religious experiences are evoked by transient electrical microseizures in deep temporal lobe structures, triggered by existential trauma and reducing death anxiety.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mystical experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Psychedelic Mystical Experience in the Human Encounter with Death | 1969 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Vectorial Cerebral Hemisphericity as Differential Sources for the Sensed Presence, Mystical Experiences and Religious Conversions | 1993 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The epistemic innocence of psychedelic states. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mystical Experience and Religious Doctrine | 1982 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Interpretation and Mystical Experience | 1965 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 53
- Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness. Psychological Bulletin 2005
- Neural correlates of a mystical experience in Carmelite nuns Neuroscience Letters July 27, 2006
- Near-Death Experiences and the Temporal Lobe Psychological Science March 24, 2004
- From “Special K” to “Special M”: The Evolution of the Recreational Use of Ketamine and Methoxetamine CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics June 1, 2013
- A Viable Model and Self-Report Measure of Spiritual Intelligence International Journal of Transpersonal Studies 2009
and 48 more in the library