University of Manchester psychologists are launching a study on out-of-body experiences. People who claim to have had an OBE, and those who haven't, are invited to complete an online survey. From the press release:
David Wilde, the researcher running the project, said, "There are several theories as to why people have OBEs. A common link between them is the idea that in certain circumstances the brain somehow loses touch with sensory information coming in from the body. This triggers a series of psychological mechanisms which can lead to someone having an OBE.
"In this study we aim to take the theory a stage further, by looking at the way people see and experience their bodies, and how – through perfectly ordinary psychological processes – these images and experiences may create the impression of seeing their bodies from the outside."
