Out-of-Body Experience induced by hypnotic suggestion: phenomenology and perceptual characteristics
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDuring hypnosis, five participants experienced out-of-body states and tried to describe images located hundreds of kilometers away. On average, participants correctly identified 46.7% of the images, while two independent judges correctly identified 66.7%, compared to a 25% chance probability. Their reported experiences shared common features: a disembodied sense of self that could perceive and move by will alone, without physical eyesight, in a timeless three-dimensional world. The validity of these reports is discussed, weighing whether they reflect genuine out-of-body experiences or prior knowledge by participants or the hypnotist.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 5 |
| Population | Participants experienced with hypnotic inductions |
| Key finding | Participants correctly identified 46.7% of images and independent judges 66.7%, exceeding the 25% chance rate, and all reported a disembodied selfhood with timeless, will-based perception. |
Abstract
The aim of this study is the investigation of the perceptual and cognitive characteristics of Out-of- Body Experiences (OBEs) induced by hypnotic induction.Five participants selected for their experience with hypnotic inductions were induced into an OBE and were requested to verbally describe six selected images, either one or two per session, that were located in two different rooms that were hundreds of kilometers from the place where they were under hypnosis.Furthermore, their real-time phenomenological experience was investigated with respect to the minimal phenomenal selfhood (MPS) and the similarities with the characteristics of spatial and temporal perception reported in near death experiences (NDEs).On average, the participants correctly identified 46.7% of the images, whereas two independent judges correctly identified 66.7% of them, compared to a probability of 25% expected due to chance.The phenomenology of their out-of-body perceptual and cognitive experiences revealed a general commonality among all participants. All participants reported a phenomenological experience of a disembodied personal selfhood able to perceive simply by an act of will without the physical limitation of eyesight, to move in the environment instantaneously and exist in a sort of three dimensional world with no awareness of time.The validity of these first person verbal reports was discussed to determine whether they were due to real OBEs or to the participants’ or the hypnotist’s previous knowledge about OBE.