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Altered Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors Following Near-Death Experiences

School of Psychology, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia; garygm{at}psychology.curtin.edu.au; fax: 011-61-9-351-2464.

Roger Summers

This study investigated the extent and types of altered beliefs, attitudes, and values of 53 subjects who reported having had a neardeath experience (NDE). A control group was composed of 27 individuals who reported having had similar life-threatening incidents but without a corresponding NDE. In addition, 45 significant others in the lives of the participants in these groups rated the extent and types of changes as a means of obtaining outside corroboration regarding the changes. The results indicated that the NDE group went through a significantly greater number of changes than persons who went through similar life-threatening situations but without having had a corresponding NDE. In addition, the extent and types of changes were mostly corroborated by significant others. Specific areas of change included increased concern for others, reduced death anxiety with a strengthened belief in an afterlife, increased transcendental experience, reduced interest in material possessions, increased self-worth, increased appreciation for natural phenomenon, and an enhanced awareness of paranormal phenomenon. Analysis of the depth of the experience indicated that the depth and the extent of change were positively correlated. Collectively, this information strongly suggests that it is the actual NDE itself, rather than some other factor such as merely being exposed to a life-threatening situation, that is crucial in facilitating change.

Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Vol. 38, No. 3, 110-125 (1998)
DOI: 10.1177/00221678980383005


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