Aspectos psicológicos de las experiencias fuera del cuerpo: Revisión de estudios de casos espontáneos

Resumen

A review is presented of research findings of survey of out-of-body experiences (OBEs) that have explored diverse psychological correlates. The paper covers personality (e.g., extraversion, danger seeking, neuroticism), cognitive (e.g., control and manipulation of imagery, absorption, fantasy, proneness) and other variables (e.g., lucid dreaming, practice of meditation, dream recall frequency). The studies point towards the following trends: (1) absence of consistent relationship between OBEs and psychopathological and adjustment variables; (2) lack of relationships with cognitive variables like imagery vividness and control, but significant positive relationships with absorption and fantasy promeness; and (3) positive correlations with vivid and lucid dreams, and mystical experiences. Correlations with lucid dreaming, absorption, and fantasy proneness may suggest that cognitive processes are related to OBEs. It is argued that further research is needed that follows the predictions of diverse theories and explains the significance of the patterns and contradictions in the studies reviewed.