The out-of-body experience and body image: differences between experiments and nonexperiments.
The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease January 1, 2005 DOI: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000149223.77469.da (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPeople who have had an out-of-body experience (OBE) tend to have more negative body image than those who have not. In a study of 64 participants, 34 who reported a previous OBE scored higher on body dissatisfaction, social physique anxiety, and somatoform dissociation, and lower on physical self-presentation. During an immersive virtual reality session, OBE experiencers also reported lower body awareness than nonexperiencers. These findings suggest that OBEs may be linked to persistent differences in how individuals perceive and relate to their bodies.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 64 |
| Population | People with and without a previous out-of-body experience |
| Key finding | People who have had an OBE score higher on body dissatisfaction, social physique anxiety, and somatoform dissociation, and lower on physical self-presentation and body awareness during virtual reality use. |
Abstract
The present study sought to examine various aspects of body image for persons reporting a previous out-of-body experience (OBE). A total of 64 people took part in the study, 34 of whom had had an OBE. Participants reporting a previous OBE were found to score significantly higher on measures of body dissatisfaction, social physique anxiety, and somatoform dissociation, and lower on a measure of physical self-presentation. OBE experiments also reported lower levels of body awareness during use of an immersive virtual reality system than nonexperiments.