The near-death experience as status passage.
Social Science & Medicine (1967) 1990 DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(90)90033-o (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key points | Argues that near-death experiences are identity transitions with the major social features of status passage, as formulated by Glaser and Strauss. Proposes that psychological reactions during NDEs are context-dependent processes, comparable to the experience of being a castaway, rather than simply defense mechanisms or neurophysiological products. |
Abstract
Near-death experiences are identity transitions with many of the major social features of status passage as these were originally formulated by Glaser and Strauss (Status Passage, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London 1971). These features are described and then compared with the similar experience of being a castaway after shipwreck. In this way, the clinical near-death experience can be analysed as one of a number of social near-death experiences. Viewed as status passage many of the psychological reactions can be usefully seen as context dependent processes rather than simply defence mechanisms or products of neurophysiology.