Exploring Out-Of-Body Experiences, Dissociation, Absorption, And Alterations Of Consciousness With Acreative Population In The Ganzfeld - Brief Article

ABSTRACT: Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) have rarely been correlated with laboratory psi results, and the availability of psychological information on OB experients is lacking in many areas. A previous study by Alvarado, Zingrone, and Dalton (1996) that attempted to relate reported spontaneous OBEs to the outcome of participants' ESP scores in a ganzfeld psi experiment also related the psychological characteristics of participants, such as alterations of consciousness, to the incidence of OBEs.

In this study we report on a similar analysis of data from a recent ganzfeld psi study involving a creative population, conducted by the first author (Dalton, 1997) while at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. The original study was composed of 128 individuals, preselected on the basis of artistic or creative talent, previous spontaneous psi experiences, and a positive attitude toward the existence of psi phenomena. We predicted positive relationships between OBE claims and ganzfeld ESP scores, an index of psi experiences, dissociation, absorption, spontaneous alterations of consciousness, lucid dreams, alterations of consciousness in the ganzfeld, and meditation. The predictions concerning OBEs and the alteration of consciousness in the ganzfeld and in daily life were designed to replicate and extend our findings in the previous study (Alvarado, Zingrone, & Dalton, 1996) regarding Blackmore's (1984b) OBE model.

OBErs were found to be significantly different than non-OBErs on psi index scores, spontaneous alterations of consciousness, practice of mental disciplines, lucid dreams, Absorption Scale scores, and scores on the Dissociative Experiences Scale such that OBErs obtained higher scores than did non-OBErs. OBErs were also more likely to have obtained a hit on their ranks to target than non-OBErs, although only suggestively so. But they were not found to be different from non-OBErs on their report of the depth of their altered state while in the ganzfeld. Exploratory analyses showed that OBErs were more likely to have reported an OBE-like sensation during their ganzfeld experience than non-OBErs, but were not found to be different from non-OBErs on their self-ratings of creativity.

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