Revisiting the Unusual: Investigating the Prevalence and Validity of Nonordinary Experiences as a Window into Consciousness

Abstract

Abstract Consciousness research has largely overlooked systematic examination of nonordinary experiences (NOEs) in the general population. Such experiences are subjectively marked as unusual or special compared to mundane ones, are challenging to quantify and disciplinary biases complicate accurate assessments of population-wide prevalence rates. Using descriptive, non-judgmental phrasing of items, we were able to validate 31 experiences (N = 1,284). Across a series of pre-registered experiments with general population samples (total N = 11,629), relative lifetime prevalence rates were estimated consistently, but absolute point estimates were sensitive to measurement and study conditions. Overall, we observe much higher prevalence rates of nonordinary experiences than indicated by associated clinical diagnosis rates (e g., schizophrenia, dissociative disorders, depression). Our study demonstrates that several types of nonordinary experiences—often dismissed as rare or pathological—are in fact widespread in general populations, opening novel perspectives for integrating these experiences into a broader empirical science of consciousness.