Rating the Incidence of an Altered State of Consciousness as a Function of the Rater's Own Absorption Score
Imagination Cognition and Personality March 1, 1994 DOI: 10.2190/p9e0-rd5g-gmx3-8hbf via Elsevier
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractRaters who scored higher on a measure of absorption—a trait reflecting deep engagement with experiences—identified fewer instances of altered states of consciousness (ASC) in others' introspective reports. A negative correlation of r = −0.48 was found between a rater's absorption score and the number of ASC instances they assessed. This suggests that individual differences in how raters evaluate subjective experience may stem from their own level of absorption, with more absorptive raters applying a stricter threshold for what counts as an altered state.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Independent judges (raters) |
| Key finding | A negative correlation (r = −0.48) was found between raters' absorption scores and the number of altered states of consciousness they assessed in introspective reports. |
Abstract
Why is it that raters differ in their assessment of subjective experience? Assuming that the rater's personal involvement or experience with the subject matter would determine the location of a diagnostic threshold, individual differences in rating would be indexed by the former. In this study, independent judges were asked to assess introspective reports for the appearance of an altered state of consciousness. The rater's own absorption score was determined, and a negative correlation ( r = −0.48) was found between the number of instances of an altered state of consciousness (ASC) assessed and absorption score. Interrater disagreement regarding subjective experience may therefore be a function of variability in absorption.