Reports of the psychic death phenomenon are reviewed and grouped into three distinct categories on the basis of the quality of behavior antecedent to the death. Deaths following markedly excited behavior, such as fear, grief, and exultation, were placed in the first category. Apathetic, withdrawn and depressed behavior were the death-precursors included in the second category. The third category was characterized by calm acceptance behavior prior to the death. In addition to the presentation of a behavioral typology, parallels between the latter and several hypothesized physiological explanations of psychic death were presented.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
KalishR.Non-medical interventions in life and death. Sociol Science and Medicine, 1970, 4, 655–665.
2.
EngelG.Sudden and rapid death during psychological stress. Annals of Internal Medicine, 1971, 74, 771–782.
3.
LesterD.Voodoo death: Some new thoughts on an old phenomenon. American Anthropologist, 1972, 74, 386–390.
4.
EngelG.A life setting conducive to illness: The giving up-given up complex. Annals of Internal Medicine, 1968, 69, 293–300.
5.
HintonJ.Dying. Baltimore: Penquin Books, 1967.
6.
KrausA.LilienfeldA.Some epidemiological aspects of high mortality rate in the young widowed group. Journal of Chronic Disease, 1959, 10, 207–217.
7.
YoungM.BenjaminB.WallisC.The mortality of widowers. Lancet, 1963, 2, 454–456.
8.
CoxP.FordJ.The mortality of widows shortly after widowhood. Lancet, 1964, 1, 163–164.
9.
ReesW.LutkinsS.Mortality of bereavement. British Medical Journal, 1967, 4, 13–16.
10.
MacMahonB.PughT.Suicide in the widowed. American Journal of Epidemiology, 1965, 81, 23–31.
11.
BarberT.Death by suggestion: A critical note. Psychosomatic Medicine, 1961, 23, 153–155.
12.
SudnowD.Passingon. Engelwood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1967.
13.
GarrityT.KleinR.A behavioral predictor of survival among heart attack patients. In PalmoreE.JeffersF. (Eds.), Prediction of life span. Lexington, Mass.: D. C. Heath, 1971.
14.
CannonW. B.Voodoo death. American Anthropologist, 1942, 44, 169–181.
15.
BurrellR.The possible bearing of curse death and other factors in Bantu culture on the etiology of myocardial infarction. In JamesT.KeyesJ. (Eds.), The etiology of myocardial infarction. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1963.
16.
SimmonsL.WolffH.Social sciences in medicine. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1954.
17.
SpencerB.GillinF.The native tribes of Central Australia. London: Macmillan, 1899.
18.
WarnerW. L.A black civilization. New York: Harper Brothers, 1937.
19.
YawgerN.Emotions as the cause of rapid and sudden death. Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 1936, 36, 875–879.
20.
AlverezW.Dying of fright. Modern Medicine, 1967, 35, 69–70.
21.
CronkiteA.Necropsy findings in patients dying on the operating room table. Anesthesia and Analgesia Current Researches, 1957, 36, 19–23.
22.
EckenhoffJ.Some preoperative warnings of potential operating room deaths. New England Journal of Medicine, 1956, 255, 1075–1079.
23.
EarlsJ.WolfS.A report of multiple periodic anniversary reactions in one individual. Annals of Internal Medicine, 1963, 58, 530–533.
24.
FischerH.DlinB.Man's determination of his time of illness or death: Anniversary reactions and emotional deadlines. Geriatrics, 1971, 25, 89–94.
25.
GreeneW.GoldsteinS.MossA.Psychosocial aspects of sudden death. Archives of Internal Medicine, 1972, 129, 725–731.
26.
WaltersM.Psychic death: Report of a possible case. Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 1944, 52, 84–85.
27.
WeissE.DlinB.RollinH. R.Emotional factors in coronary occlusion. Archives of Internal Medicine, 1957, 99, 628–641.
28.
JarvinenK.Can ward rounds be a danger to patients with myocardial infarction?British Medical Journal, 1955, 1, 318–320.
29.
McConnellJ. W.Discussion of Yawger, N. S., Emotions as the cause of rapid and sudden death. Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 1936, 36, 875–879.
30.
HelpernM.RabsonS.Sudden and unexpected natural death. American Journal of Medical Science, 1950, 220, 262–271.
31.
FitzhughG.HamiltonB. E.Coronary occlusion and fatal angina pectoris. Journal of the American Medical Association, 1933, 100, 475–480.
32.
AdlundM.Review, case studies, therapy, and interpretation of acute, exhaustive psychosis. Psychiatric Quarterly, 1947, 21, 38–69.
33.
BeiglerJ.Anxiety as an aid in the prognostication of impending death. Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 1957, 77, 171–177.
34.
FranklV.Man's search for meaning. New York: Washington Square Press, 1959.
35.
TasJ.Psychical disorders among inmates of concentration camps and repatriates. Psychiatric Quarterly, 1951, 25, 679–690.
36.
MayerW.Why did so many G.I. captives cave in?U.S. News and World Report, 1956, February 24, 56–62.
37.
NardiniJ.Survival factors in American prisoners of war of the Japanese. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1952, 109, 241–248.
38.
AldrichC.MendkoffE.Relocation of the aged and the disabled: A mortality study. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 1963, 11, 185–194.
39.
BlenknerM.Environmental change and the aging individual. The Gerontologist, 1967, 7, 101–105.
40.
RichterC.On the phenomenon of sudden death in animals and men. Psychosomatic Medicine, 1957, 19, 191–198.
41.
EwingL.Fighting and death from stress in a cockroach. Science, 1967, 155, 1035–1036.
42.
WheatonJ.Fact or fancy in sensory deprivation studies. School of Aviation Medicine Reports, Brooks A.F.B., Texas, No. 5–59, 60.
43.
Kübler-RossE.On death and dying. New York: Macmillan, 1969.
44.
WeismanA.HackettT.Predilection to death. Psychosomatic Medicine, 1961, 23, 232–256.
45.
WeismanA.KastenbaumR.Psychological autopsy. New York: Behavioral Publications, 1968.
46.
HunterJ.Scared to death. British Medical Journal, 1965, 2, 701 (letter to the editor)
47.
MarkowitzB.Sudden death: A neurocirculatory disturbance. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 1942, 12, 276–278.
48.
MooreM.Discussion of Walters, M., Psychic death: Report of a possible case. Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 1944, 52, 84–85.
49.
Von LerchenthalE.Death from psychic causes. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 1948, 12, 31–36.
50.
WeismanA.On dying and denying. New York: Behavioral Publications, 1972.
51.
WilsonI.ReeceJ.Simultaneous death in schizophrenic twins. Archives of General Psychiatry, 1964, 11, 377–384.
52.
YoungP.Scared to death?British Medical Journal, 1965, 2, 701 (letter to the editor)
53.
PhillipsD.Dying as a form of social behavior. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Princeton University, 1969.
54.
GazesP. C.SovellB. F.DellastatiousJ. W.Continuous radio-electrocardiographic monitoring of football coaches during games. American Heart Journal, 1969, 78, 509–512.
55.
HansonJ. S.TabakinB. S.Electrocardiographic telemetry in skiers: Anticipatory and recovery heart rate during competition. New England Journal of Medicine, 1964, 271, 181–185.
56.
MossA. J.WynarB.Tachycardia in house officers presenting cases at grand rounds. Annals of Internal Medicine, 1970, 72, 255–256.
57.
WolfS.The end of the rope: The role of the brain in cardiac death. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1967, 97, 1022–1025.
58.
EngelB.Operant conditioning of cardiac function: A status report. Psychophysiology, 1972, 9, 161–177.
59.
ShapiroE.SchwartzG.TurskyB.Control of diastolic blood pressure in man by feedback and reinforcement. Psychophysiology, 1972, 9, 296–304.
60.
SternR.LewisN.Ability of actors to control their GSRs and express emotion. Psychophysiology, 1968, 4, 294–299.
