Task-induced transient depersonalization- and derealization-like experiences: a comparative examination of mirror gazing and fixed attention tasks
Consciousness and Cognition July 3, 2026 Shun Sasaki, Tokiko Harada, Hideki Ohira
Depersonalization and derealization are dissociative experiences that alter bodily self-awareness and the sense of reality. This study compared the Mirror Gazing Task, where participants looked at their own face, with a Fixed Attention Task, where they stared at a dot on a wall, to see which better induces transient depersonalization- and derealization-like states in 54 non-clinical adults. Both tasks increased depersonalization and derealization ratings compared to baseline, a break, and a follow-up. Depersonalization was higher after the Mirror Gazing Task than after the Fixed Attention Task, but derealization did not clearly differ between tasks. The findings suggest that derealization-like experiences arise from features common to both tasks, while depersonalization-like experiences may be more linked to mirror-based self-focus.