A Virtual Out-of-Body Experience Reduces Fear of Death

Abstract

Immersive virtual reality can be used to visually substitute a person's real body by a life-sized virtual body (VB) that is seen from first person perspective. Using real-time motion capture the VB can be programmed to move synchronously with the real body (visuomotor synchrony), and also virtual objects seen to strike the VB can be felt through corresponding vibrotactile stimulation on the actual body (visuotactile synchrony). This setup typically gives rise to a strong perceptual illusion of ownership over the VB. When the viewpoint is lifted up and out of the VB so that it is seen below this may result in an out-of-body experience (OBE). In a two-factor between-groups experiment with 16 female participants per group we tested how fear of death might be influenced by two different methods for producing an OBE. In an initial embodiment phase where both groups experienced the same multisensory stimuli there was a strong feeling of body ownership. Then the viewpoint was lifted up and behind the VB. In the experimental group once the viewpoint was out of the VB there was no further connection with it (no visuomotor or visuotactile synchrony). In a control condition, although the viewpoint was in the identical place as in the experimental group, visuomotor and visuotactile synchrony continued. While both groups reported high scores on a question about their OBE illusion, the experimental group had a greater feeling of disownership towards the VB below compared to the control group, in line with previous findings. Fear of death in the experimental group was found to be lower than in the control group. This is in line with previous reports that naturally occurring OBEs are often associated with enhanced belief in life after death.

Fig 1. The overall setup and in-the-body phase.

(A) A participant wearing the head-mounted display and body tracking suit with the tracking markers, and holding a Wand in the right hand. (B) Participants see their virtual body from first person perspective, including holding the Wand. (C) The virtual balls begin to strike the body with synchronous visuotactile stimulation, a reflection can be seen in the mirror in front. (D) The participant traces curves on the desk with the left or right foot, illustrating visuomotor synchrony.

Fig 2. The out-of-body phase.

(A) The DBE condition where the virtual balls continue to strike the body seen below and real body movement is mapped onto the virtual body. (B) The OBE condition where the balls strike where the body would be in relation to the elevated viewpoint, and real body movement does not affect the virtual body.

Fig 3. Box plots of the body ownership questionnaires by condition.

The thick black horizontal lines are the medians, the boxes are the interquartile ranges and the whiskers extend from the minimum value (or the lower quartile—1.5*IQR) to the maximum value (or the upper quartile + 1.5*IQR). Values outside of this range are shown as single points.

Fig 4. Posterior probability distributions of the expected values of otherbody and mybody.

Fig 5. Box plots of the out-of-body questions by condition.

Fig 6. Mean and Standard Error of mean drop time during the out-of-body phase minus the mean drop time during the in-the-body phase, by condition.

Fig 7. Box plots for the Fear of Death questionnaire responses.

Fig 8. Bar Chart showing the means and standard errors of the total FOD score by condition.

The minimum possible score is 7 and the maximum possible is 35.

Fig 9. Posterior probability distributions of the expected values of the total FOD scores by Condition.

The 95% credible intervals are 21.3 to 24.5 for DBE, and 17.7 to 21.0 for OBE.

Fig 10. Bar Chart showing the means and standard errors of the total FOD score by condition and atheism.

The minimum possible score is 7 and the maximum possible is 35.