Abstract
Immersive virtual reality can be used to visually substitute a person’s real body by a life-sized virtual body (VB) that is seen from first person perspective. Using real-time motion capture the VB can be programmed to move synchronously with the real body (visuomotor synchrony), and also virtual objects seen to strike the VB can be felt through corresponding vibrotactile stimulation on the actual body (visuotactile synchrony). This setup typically gives rise to a strong perceptual illusion of ownership over the VB. When the viewpoint is lifted up and out of the VB so that it is seen below this may result in an out-of-body experience (OBE). In a two-factor between-groups experiment with 16 female participants per group we tested how fear of death might be influenced by two different methods for producing an OBE. In an initial embodiment phase where both groups experienced the same multisensory stimuli there was a strong feeling of body ownership. Then the viewpoint was lifted up and behind the VB. In the experimental group once the viewpoint was out of the VB there was no further connection with it (no visuomotor or visuotactile synchrony). In a control condition, although the viewpoint was in the identical place as in the experimental group, visuomotor and visuotactile synchrony continued. While both groups reported high scores on a question about their OBE illusion, the experimental group had a greater feeling of disownership towards the VB below compared to the control group, in line with previous findings. Fear of death in the experimental group was found to be lower than in the control group. This is in line with previous reports that naturally occurring OBEs are often associated with enhanced belief in life after death.
Highlights
A Near-Death Experience (NDE) is an altered state of consciousness that can occur during clinical death—typically following cardiac arrest [1]
The other questions were to test whether the condition was working—i.e., whether participants felt as if they were high up in the virtual room, and invisibleobe was for curiosity, whether participants would experience an invisible body given the findings reported in [33]
It has been found that if there is body ownership over a virtual body and participants are lifted out of that body, there is a strong physiological response (Heart Rate Deceleration) to an attack seen on that body, with the HRD correlating with the questionnaire scores on body ownership [18]
Summary
A Near-Death Experience (NDE) is an altered state of consciousness that can occur during clinical death—typically following cardiac arrest [1]. Characteristics of NDEs can vary widely, but generally include the perception of moving through a tunnel, bright lights, meeting spiritual beings, a panoramic life review, euphoria, and an out-of-body experience (OBE) [2,3,4,5].
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