Abstract

The out-of-the-body experience (OBE) may be a purely psychological phenomenon that requires no paranormal influences for its explanation. If this turns out to be the case, which the author argues that it will, then what will parapsychology's response be? Perhaps the OBE will suffer the same fate as hypnosis or the trance state and, being found susceptible to a "normal" explanation, be dismissed by parapsychology. Or perhaps parapsychology will keep the OBE as part of its subject matter regardless of how it eventually comes to be understood. The author discusses why she believes the OBE is a psychological rather than a paranormal phenomenon and considers the evidence that bears on psi in the OBE and the types of theory that may be helpful in understanding the experience. (27 ref)