Our Thanks to misterpoll for their
invaluable help in gathering this data. Over 200 responses in less than six months without one penny of research funding.
Our Thanks to misterpoll for their
invaluable help in gathering this data.
Over 200 responses in less than six months without one penny of research funding.
EXPERIENCES IN CONSCIOUSNESS
Here is some basic data about how often a 'normal' population (a group of internet users willing to answer a 'poll') experiences the most common spontaneous altered states of consciousness (known as Temporal Lobe Signs).
Even though internet users are a 'normal' group, we can't consider this to represent the 'general population'. We should assume that only those who are interested in altered states to begin with would choose to participate in the online 'poll' used here. Those who never have these experiences might easily lack any motivation to participate. One study found that the frequency of these experiences in a group of university psychology students formed a continuum with the frequencies of temporal lobe signs pretty evenly distributed across the group. These students did not volunteer as readily as the internet group represented below. They were given credit for participating, while this group was given no compensation whatever. The frequencies of their experiences should be expected to be higher than a more 'typical' group, because of the method used to gather the data. Nevertheless, the relative frequencies of specific experiences within this group that emerge in this data make it worth examining.
How often do you experience Deja vu?
(all answers are estimates)
|
|
|
between yearly & monthly (31%) |
|
|
|
about once/month (18%) |
|
|
|
about twice per month (18%) |
|
|
|
never (less than 1x/year) (13%) |
|
|
|
about once per week (9%) |
|
|
|
more than once per week (4%) |
|
|
|
just about all the time (2%) |
|
|
|
once a day (most days) (0%) |
|
|
|
more than once per day (0%) |
|
211 total votes |
||
How often do you feel
that everything is strange, odd, dreamlike, disconnected, unreal or just strange?
|
|
|
From 1x/Mo. to 1x / Yr. (27%) |
|
|
|
never (less than 1x per year). (19%) |
|
|
|
Around once a week. (13%) |
|
|
|
About once a month. (10%) |
|
|
|
Around twice per month. (8%) |
|
|
|
More than once a week. (8%) |
|
|
|
Most of the time. (7%) |
|
|
|
Once a day on most days. (4%) |
|
|
|
More than once a day. (0%) |
|
210 total votes |
||
how often do you get the feeling that there is someone or something in the room with you when there's nobody there or that you're 'not alone' or 'being watched' when you're by yourself?
|
|
|
Never (less than 1x/year). (28%) |
|
|
|
From 1x/Mo. to 1x / Yr.. (21%) |
|
|
|
Around twice a month (11%) |
|
|
|
About once a month. (10%) |
|
|
|
Close to once a week (9%) |
|
|
|
Once a day on most days (7%) |
|
|
|
most of the time (6%) |
|
|
|
More than once a day (4%) |
|
208 total votes |
||
How often do you feel that your body is moving when its actually still (like the feeling that the bed is moving while dropping off to sleep)?
|
|
|
From 1x/Mo. to 1x / Yr. (28%) |
|
|
|
Never (less than 1x/year) (22%) |
|
|
|
About once a month. (14%) |
|
|
|
Close to twice per month. (12%) |
|
|
|
Around once a week. (6%) |
|
|
|
More than once a week. (5%) |
|
|
|
Once a day on most days. (4%) |
|
|
|
Most of the time. (3%) |
|
|
|
More than once a day. (2%) |
|
214 total votes |
||
How often do you feel electric-like 'buzzes' in your body or pins-and-needles, 'tingley' sensations?
|
|
|
From 1x/Mo. to 1x / Yr.? (18%) |
|
|
|
Never (less than 1x/year). (15%) |
|
|
|
Around twice a month. (15%) |
|
|
|
About once a month. (11%) |
|
|
|
Close to once a week. (11%) |
|
|
|
Once a day on most days. (8%) |
|
|
|
More than once a week. (8%) |
|
|
|
More than once a day. (7%) |
|
|
|
Most of the time. (2%) |
|
212 total votes |
||
I spend a lot of my
free time writing.
|
|
|
False (63%) |
|
|
|
|
True (37%) |
|
|
207 total votes |
|||
My spirituality is my real focus
|
|
|
False (59%) |
|
|
|
True (41%) |
|
205 total votes |
||
|
I'm always thinking about sex. |
||
|
|
|
False (60%) |
|
|
|
True (40%) |
|
206 total votes |
||
|
|
||
|
|
|
False (52%) |
|
|
|
True (48%) |
|
204 total votes |
||
|
When it comes to sex, I just don't understand what the big deal is about. |
|
||
|
|
|
False (70%) |
|
|
|
|
True (30%) |
|
|
202 total votes |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
I set aside some time every day for meditation (or something like it) |
|
||
|
|
|
False (55%) |
|
|
|
|
True (45%) |
|
|
206 total votes |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sometimes I think that there are rules to life that everybody understands except me. |
|
||
|
|
|
True (52%) |
|
|
|
|
False (48%) |
|
|
207 total votes |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Prayer is better than meditation for me. |
|
||
|
|
|
False (58%) |
|
|
|
|
True (42%) |
|
|
203 total votes |
|||
Shakti - Magnetic Brain Stimulation
Origins of spirituality in Human Evolution
Glasses For Enhanced Visual Acuity
Stimulating My Brain As A Spiritual Path
Sex and States of Consciousness
The Gay Male Brain - Evolutionary Speculations
Odd Experiences - Online Poll Results
Near-Death Experiences - Thai Case histories
Meditations from Brain Science
