The Meaning and Intensity of the Near-Death Experience
James M. Sahlman, Max C. Norton
Journal of Near-Death Studies June 1, 1998 DOI: 10.1023/a:1022984522831 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 32 |
| Population | Spontaneous verbal accounts of near-death experiences |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key findings | Argues that NDErs abstract the most significant aspects of meaning through attributions of purpose and intention, and that both causal and affective attributions contribute to the meaning and intensity of the experience, with significant changes in overt and affective states. |
Abstract
This is the second in a three-part study exploring the hypothesis that near-death experiences (NDErs) assign the meaning of the NDE by using causal (effect) and semantic (affect) attributions. To test this hypothesis, 32 spontaneous verbal accounts of NDEs were analyzed. Each statement comprising the account was coded and classified according to the six attributional types in the Norton-Sahlman matrices of attributional classification. On the bases of these findings, we conclude that NDErs abstract the most significant aspects of meaning from their experiences by the use of attributions expressing the purposes of the experience and the intentions of the participants. Second, the meaning and intensity of the experience derives from attributions of both effect (causality) and affective significance: the assignment of subjective meaning to objects and events (affect). Third, the findings demonstrate that there are significant changes in NDErs' overt and affective states, reinforcing our argument that meaning and intensity of the NDE is a function of how the experiencer assigns causation, in addition to the affective significance that the experiencer places on the events constituting the NDE.