TY - JOUR

T1 - From dreams to (virtual) reality : exploring behavioural embodiment in out-of-body experients.

AU - Murray, Craig

AU - Fox, Jezz

PY - 2006/12

Y1 - 2006/12

N2 - Recent research has indicated that the body experience of people who report a prior out-of-body experience (OBErs) is qualitatively different on a number of body-image variables to that of non-experients (non-OBErs). The present study examined OBErs and non-OBErs Behavioural Embodiment during immersion in a Virtual Reality system. It was hypothesised that OBErs would, compared with non-OBErs, exhibit a disembodied behavioural interaction with the Virtual Environment (VE), characterised by the proportion of time spent navigating the environment from an elevated position and the number of collisions with virtual objects. It was also hypothesised that OBErs would score higher on measures of absorption, dissociation and somatoform dissociation. There were no significant differences between OBErs (n = 16) and non-OBErs (n = 28) on Behavioural Embodiment (i.e., the proportion of time spent navigating the environment from an elevated position and the number of collisions with virtual objects), although there was a positive correlation with number of OBEs and proportion of trial time spent navigating the environment from an elevated position. OBErs were found to score significantly higher than the non-OBErs on measures of absorption, dissociation and somatoform dissociation.

AB - Recent research has indicated that the body experience of people who report a prior out-of-body experience (OBErs) is qualitatively different on a number of body-image variables to that of non-experients (non-OBErs). The present study examined OBErs and non-OBErs Behavioural Embodiment during immersion in a Virtual Reality system. It was hypothesised that OBErs would, compared with non-OBErs, exhibit a disembodied behavioural interaction with the Virtual Environment (VE), characterised by the proportion of time spent navigating the environment from an elevated position and the number of collisions with virtual objects. It was also hypothesised that OBErs would score higher on measures of absorption, dissociation and somatoform dissociation. There were no significant differences between OBErs (n = 16) and non-OBErs (n = 28) on Behavioural Embodiment (i.e., the proportion of time spent navigating the environment from an elevated position and the number of collisions with virtual objects), although there was a positive correlation with number of OBEs and proportion of trial time spent navigating the environment from an elevated position. OBErs were found to score significantly higher than the non-OBErs on measures of absorption, dissociation and somatoform dissociation.

M3 - Journal article

VL - 6

SP - 125

EP - 134

JO - Australian Journal of Parapsychology

JF - Australian Journal of Parapsychology

IS - 2

ER -