Sensed presences

Abstract

Sensed presence refers to a feeling, in the absence of any verifiable physical presence, that there is some living intentional entity nearby. This chapter reviews recent studies of sensed presence in four different contexts selected for their potential to shed light on possible physiological and neurological concomitants of sensed-presence experiences. The first context is that of neurological disorders that compromise the functioning of selected brain regions. The second entails the production of a sensed presence by direct stimulation of cerebral cortex. The third involves sensed-presence experiences in extreme physical environments that deplete bodily and neural resources and place extreme demands on selective brain regions and functions relevant to the experience of bodily integrity. The fourth context examines a dissociated REM state that selectively activates and deactivates different brain regions. The review concludes with a suggested integration of two neuropsychological hypotheses of sensed-presence experiences: a disturbed self-body image and the endogenous activation of an agency-detection mechanism. It is concluded that a complete understanding of sensed-presence experiences benefits from, and can contribute to, investigations into the reciprocal, shared, and interwoven neural mechanisms of self and other.