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Near-death and out-of-body experiences in a Melanesian society.

The Journal of near-death studies 1983 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-1983-3-2-p115-135. (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Population Melanesian villagers
Topics Near-death experience
Citations 47
Key findings Near-death experiences and related phenomena from Melanesia share common features with those from North America and India, but their interpretation is structured by cultural expectations.

Abstract

"The texts of three near-death experiences, one vision, and one dream by Melanesian villagers are presented and analyzed with regard to their cultural context. Comparison of these experiences with those reported from North America and India suggests that while they have common features (such as the appearance of apparitions, and visions of paradise), their interpretation is structured by cultural expectations."