Abstract

Studied the skills used in spontaneous and deliberate out-of-body experiences (OBEs), dreams, and related experiences, by administering a questionnaire to 97 Ss attending 2 parapsychology conferences. 36 Ss claimed to have had OBEs, and 14 of these Ss had had deliberate OBEs. Associations were found between having OBEs and reporting lucid and flying dreams, dream control skills, and mystical experiences. These results were then categorized in terms of the different kinds of skills exhibited. Dream control skills were most common in those Ss who reported deliberate OBEs, while mystical experiences were frequent in Ss with spontaneous OBEs. Limitations and results of the experiment are discussed in light of theories about the processes underlying these experiences. (18 ref)