Fantasy Proneness Correlates With the Intensity of Near-Death Experience
Frontiers in Psychiatry June 7, 2018 Charlotte Martial, Héléna Cassol, Vanessa Charland-Verville et al. 70 citations
People who report near-death experiences (NDEs) without facing a life-threatening situation score higher on fantasy proneness than those who have NDEs during actual danger, those whose experiences do not meet NDE criteria, and healthy controls. In contrast, individuals who have classical NDEs (during a life-threatening event) show no difference in fantasy proneness compared to matched controls. The intensity of the reported experience correlates positively with engagement in fantasy. These findings suggest that strong fantasy proneness may make some individuals more likely to report NDE-like experiences under suitable physiological or psychological conditions, such as meditation or syncope.