Near-Death Experience Memories Include More Episodic Components Than Flashbulb Memories

Cassol, Helena; Bonin, Estelle; Bastin, Christine; Puttaert, Ninon; Charland-Verville, Vanessa; Laureys, Steven; Martial, Charlotte

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00888

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Near-Death Experience Memories Include More Episodic Components Than Flashbulb Memories

Cassol, Helena; Bonin, Estelle; Bastin, Christine et al.

2020 • In Frontiers in Psychology, 11 (888)

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https://hdl.handle.net/2268/246979

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10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00888

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Keywords :

autobiographical memory; near-death experience; flashbulb memory; autobiographical interview; memory - consolidation

Abstract :

[en] Memories of near-death experiences (NDEs) are recalled as “realer” than memories of other real or imagined events. Given their rich phenomenology, emotionality and consequentiality, it was hypothesized that they could meet some aspects of the definition of flashbulb memories. We aimed to identify and compare the episodic and non-episodic information provided in verbal recollections of NDE, flashbulb, and control autobiographical memories. The phenomenological characteristics and centrality of the memories were also compared. Twenty-five participants who had lived a NDE in a life-threatening situation were interviewed and completed the Memory Characteristics Questionnaires as well as the Centrality of Event Scale for their NDE, a flashbulb and another autobiographical memory used as control. Overall, transcribed NDE verbal recollections included a higher overall amount of details and more internal/episodic information than control autobiographical and flashbulb memories. Moreover, flashbulb memories were associated to a lower intensity of feelings while remembering and a lower personal importance, and are less reactivated and less susceptible to be remembered from a first person perspective compared to NDE and control autobiographical memories. Finally, NDE memories are the most central memories to experiencers’ identity, followed by control autobiographical and then by flashbulb memories. These findings corroborate previous studies highlighting the impact and uniqueness of NDE memories.

Research center :

GIGA-Consciousness-Coma Science Group; CHU de Liège - Centre du Cerveau²

Disciplines :

Theoretical & cognitive psychology

Author, co-author :

Cassol, Helena ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département d'aérospatiale et mécanique > Ingénierie des véhicules terrestres

Bonin, Estelle ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA-Consciousness-Coma Science Group ; CHU de Liège - Centre du Cerveau²

Bastin, Christine ; Université de Liège - ULiège > CRC In vivo Imaging-Aging & Memory

Puttaert, Ninon ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psychologie sociale

Charland-Verville, Vanessa ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Consciousness-Coma Science Group

Laureys, Steven ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Consciousness-Coma Science Group

Martial, Charlotte ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Consciousness-Coma Science Group

Language :

English

Title :

Near-Death Experience Memories Include More Episodic Components Than Flashbulb Memories

Publication date :

May 2020

Journal title :

Frontiers in Psychology

eISSN :

1664-1078

Publisher :

Frontiers Media S.A., Switzerland

Volume :

Issue :

888

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 29 April 2020

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