Understanding individual differences in non-ordinary state of consciousness: Relationship between phenomenological experiences and autonomic nervous system. - 2025
Understanding individual differences in non-ordinary state of consciousness: Relationship between phenomenological experiences and autonomic nervous system.
Auto-induced cognitive trance; Heart rate variability; Inter-individual differences; Machine learning; Non-ordinary states of consciousness; Phenomenological experiences; Clinical Psychology
Abstract :
[en] Non-ordinary states of consciousness offer a unique opportunity to explore the interplay between phenomenological experiences and physiological processes. This study investigated individual differences in phenomenological and autonomic nervous system changes between a resting state condition and a non-ordinary state of consciousness (auto-induced cognitive trance, AICT). Specifically, it examined the relationship between self-reported experiences (e.g., absorption, visual representations) and heart rate variability (HRV). Twenty-seven participants underwent electrocardiography recordings and completed self-report questionnaires during rest and AICT. A machine learning framework distinguished the rest and AICT states based on self-reported measures and HRV metrics. A linear mixed-effects model assessed inter-individual differences in HRV and self-reported phenomenology between the two states. Finally, the relationship between relative change in HRV and self-reported experiences was explored. Results showed changes in self-reported phenomenology (accuracy=86 %; p<.001) and HRV (accuracy=73 %; p<.001) characterizing the AICT state compared to rest. The baseline level in phenomenology or HRV was associated with change amplitude during AICT. Moreover, relative change in HRV was associated with change in phenomenology. The findings suggest that inter-individual differences at rest revealed a functional mechanism between phenomenology and the autonomic nervous system during non-ordinary states of consciousness, offering a novel perspective on how physiological mechanisms shape subjective experiences.
Disciplines :
Neurosciences & behavior
Author, co-author :
Oswald, Victor ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Conscious Care Lab ; Cognitive & Computational Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Département, University of Montréal, Canada
Jerbi, Karim; Cognitive & Computational Neuroscience Lab, Psychology Département, University of Montréal, Canada
Sombrun, Corine; TranseScience Research Institute, Paris, France
Jitka, Annen; Coma Science Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège, Belgium ; Centre du Cerveau, Hospital of Liège University, Liège, Belgium ; Department of Data Analysis, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
Martial, Charlotte ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Coma Science Group
Gosseries, Olivia ✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Neurosciences - Coma Science Group
✱ These authors have contributed equally to this work.
Language :
English
Title :
Understanding individual differences in non-ordinary state of consciousness: Relationship between phenomenological experiences and autonomic nervous system.
Publication date :
2025
Journal title :
International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology
Founding disclosures: The study was supported by the University and University Hospital of Liege, the Belgian National Funds for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), the BIAL Foundation, the fund Generet, the King Baudouin Foundation, the Belgium Foundation Against Cancer (Grants Number 2017064 and C/2020/1357), the Benoit Foundation (Bruxelles), the Mind Science Foundation, the European Commission, the Fondation Leon Fredericq, and Wallonia as part of a program of the BioWin Health 619 Cluster framework. VO is supported by Transcience Research Institute for a post-doctoral grant. JA is postdoctoral fellow at the FWO (1265522N). KJ is supported by funding from the Canada Research Chairs program (950-232368) and a Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2021-03426), a Strategic Research Clusters Program (2023-RS6-309472) from the Fonds de recherche du Quebec \u2013 Nature et technologies. OG is research associate at FRS-FNRS.We thank the participants for their involvement, as well as TranceScience Research Institute, Francis Taulelle, Fran\u00E7ois Feron, and Audrey Breton.
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