Fantasy proneness, paranormal beliefs and personality features in out-of-body experiences
Contemporary Hypnosis October 14, 2004 DOI: 10.1002/ch.296 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional questionnaire study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 167 |
| Population | Participants who completed questionnaires, including those reporting out-of-body experiences, believers, and non-believers |
| Key findings | Experients of out-of-body experiences were more fantasy prone, had stronger paranormal beliefs, and showed greater somatoform dissociation compared to non-experients. Believers had higher psychological absorption and dissociation than both experients and non-believers. For experients, fantasy proneness, paranormal beliefs, and the personality dimensions of institution and feeling were significantly related to their experiences. |
Abstract
Abstract This study investigated the relationship between reported out‐of‐body experiences, certain psychological variables and personality characteristics. One hundred and sixty‐seven participants completed a series of questionnaires to investigate differences amongst those participants reporting out‐of‐body experiences and those who were classified as believers or non‐believers on: fantasy proneness, paranormal beliefs, psychological absorption, psychological association, somatoform dissociation, certain personality characteristics and OBE experience sensations. The findings revealed that experients were more fantasy prone, higher in their belief in the paranormal and displayed greater somatoform dissociation. Psychological absorption and dissociation were higher for believers than for either experients or non‐believers and in relation to experients, fantasy proneness, paranormal beliefs and the personality dimensions of institution and feeling were significantly related, as were psychological absorption, psychological dissociation and somatoform dissociation. Copyright © 2004 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
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- Video Game Play and Consciousness Development: A Replication and Extension International Journal of Dream Research 2009
- What out-of-body experiences may tell us about the mind beyond the brain. International Review of Psychiatry 2025
- Out-of-body experiences: interpretations through the eyes of those who live them. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- From laboratory targets to experiential authenticity: reframing the study of veridicality in OBEs Frontiers in Psychology June 2, 2026
and 5 more in the library
Cites 4
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