Absorption and spiritual experience: A review of evidence and potential mechanisms

摘要: Abstract Some people seem to have a ‘talent’ for spiritual experience: they readily sense the presence of supernatural beings, receive special messages from God, and report intense feelings self-transcendence, awe wonder. Here we review converging strands evidence argue that trait 'absorption' captures general proclivity having experiences. Participants scoring highly on Tellegen Absorption Scale vivid experiences hearing God's voice during prayer, mystical in response psychedelics or placebo brain-stimulation, strong transcendence when confronted with natural beauty, virtual reality, music. Several mechanisms may help explain relationship between absorption experience. We suggest an experiential mindset intensifies inner outer sensory experience ways reflect both prior expectation novel engagement. It seems enable which must be imagined feel more real.