Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

After sitting quietly within an acoustic chamber, 30 university men were exposed (singly) to binaural, complex stimulation (Hemi-Sync Tape), synchronized binaural and visual patterns (The Mind's Eye), or transtemporal magnetic fields for 30 min. Experiences were rated at the end of the treatment by questionnaire. The men who received the binaural stimulation (Hemi-Sync Tape) reported more intense sensed presences and ego-alien intrusions than did the other two groups. In a similar second experiment, 18 university women who received the binaural stimulation also reported these experiences. The results support the hypothesis that the sensed presence is facilitated by transient, neuroelectrical intercalation of the temporoparietal lobes and is associated with the intrusion into awareness of the right-hemispheric equivalent of the left-hemispheric sense of self.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Jaynes

The origin of consciousness in the breakdown of the bicameral mind. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1976.

Panksepp

Normansell

Herman

Bishop

Crepeau

Neural and neurochemical control of the separation distress call. In Newman

J. D.

(Ed.), The physiological control of mammalian vocalization. New York: Plenum, 1988. Pp. 263–299.

Persinger

M. A.

Death anxiety as a semantic conditioned suppression paradigm. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1985, 60, 827–830.

Persinger

M. A.

Enhanced incidence of “the sensed presence” in people who have learned to meditate: Support for the right hemispheric intrusion hypothesis. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1992, 75, 1308–1310.

Persinger

M. A.

Vectorial cerebral hemisphericity as differential sources for the sensed presence, mystical experiences and religious conversions. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1993, 76, 915–930.

Persinger

M. A.

Richards

P. M.

Tobacyk's Paranormal Belief Scale and temporal lobe signs: Sex differences in the experiences of ego-alien intrusions. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1991, 73, 1151–1156.

Reite

Cullum

C. M.

Stocker

Teale

Kozora

Neuropsychological test performance and MEG-based brain lateralization: Sex differences. Brain Research Bulletin, 1993, 32, 325–328.

Richards

P. M.

Persinger

M. A.

Koren

S. A.

Modification of activation and evaluation properties of narratives by weak magnetic field patterns that simulate limbic burst firing. International Journal of Neuroscience, 1993, 71, 71–85.

Ruttan

L. A.

Persinger

M. A.

Koren

Enhancement of temporal lobe-related experiences during brief exposures to milligauss intensity extremely low frequency magnetic fields. Journal of Bioelectricity, 1990, 9, 33–54.

10.

Schacter

Singer

J. E.

Cognitive, social and physiological determinants of emotional state. Psychological Review, 1962, 69, 379–399.

The Sensed Presence May Be Facilitated by Interhemispheric Intercalation: Relative Efficacy of the Mind's Eye,Hemi-Sync Tape,and Bilateral Temporal Magnetic Field Stimulation

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References