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The near-death experience: Myth or reality? A methodological approach.

Michael Sabom

1981 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-1981-1-1-p44-56. (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study
Sample size 116
Population Near-death survivors
Topics Near-death experience
Citations 16
Key findings The paper discusses a proposed method for evaluating near-death experiences, based on interviews with 116 near-death survivors. The author argues that out-of-body experiences can be authenticated if individuals recall verifiable details about their surroundings during the experience while having no normal sensory access to them.

Abstract

This paper discusses the effort to find an objective means of evaluating near-death experiences (NDEs). A study of "one hundred and sixteen near-death survivors have been interviewed in this study" (abstract). The author's mechanism for determining the authenticity of out-of-body experiences (OBEs) requires that individuals recall details that are specific to the events that surrounded their physical body during the duration of their OBE, and the individual must have no physical means of gaining sensory information about their surroundings.