A comparative analysis of Japanese and Western NDEs.
Masayuki Ohkado, Bruce Greyson
The Journal of near-death studies January 1, 2014 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-2014-32-4-p187-198. via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractNear-death experiences (NDEs) share some features across cultures but also show culture-specific elements. Japanese NDEs differ from Western ones in three main ways: the interpretation of and interaction with a light, the image of heaven, and the absence of a life review. These differences are explained by cultural factors rather than universal physiological or biological mechanisms.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Comparative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Japanese and Western near-death experiencers |
| Keywords | Heaven Psychology Interpretation philosophy Japanese culture Epistemology |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key finding | Japanese NDEs differ from Western NDEs in the interpretation of light, image of heaven, and absence of life review, attributable to cultural differences. |
Abstract
Decades of studies on near-death experiences (NDEs) have reveals both cross-cultural and culture-specific features (Kellehear, 2009) and that it is important to determine which aspects are attributed to the physiological, biological, or psychological mechanisms shared by all humans and which aspects are of cultural origin. In this article, we examine Japanese NDEs and compare their features with generalizations based on observations of Western NDEs. The main differences between Japanese and Western NDEs are the interpretation of the light and the concomitant lack of interaction with it, the image of heaven, and the absence of the life review. We suggest that these characteristics are accounted for in terms of cultural differences.