Measurement and Incidence of Mystical Experiences: An Exploratory Study
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion December 1, 1978 L. Eugene Thomas, Pamela E. Cooper 41 citations
About a third of 302 young adults reported having had an intense spiritual experience on a structured questionnaire, matching a prior national survey. When asked to describe their experiences in their own words, the accounts included classical mystical experiences, trivial or irrelevant events, psychic experiences, and experiences of faith and consolation. The authors conclude that measurement techniques must be refined before reliable conclusions can be drawn about how common mystical experiences actually are.