Research: Altered States of consciousness through the ten-minute eye contact

Bizarre Experiment: ten minutes of eye contact leads to hallucinations

An Italian researcher has found in an Experiment that intense eyes can lead to contact between two healthy people is an altered state of consciousness. The following sensations are similar to a mild “dissociation”.

Ten minutes, look in the eyes

An Italian psychologist claims to have found a simple way to in healthy people, an altered state of consciousness. As on the Portal of the “Research Digest” of the “British Psychological Society” is reported to have stated to the researchers that two people who see themselves in a dimly lit room for ten minutes in the eyes, sensations set, similar to a mild “dissociation”. The results of the scientist were published in the journal “Psychiatry Research”.

Experiment in a dimly lit room

For his Experiment Giovanni Caputo left 20 young adults (15 women) form pairs, sat opposite in a large, dimly lit room at a distance of one Meter.

According to Caputo, the illuminance is allowed “for a detailed perception of fine face traits”, but only an “attenuated colour perception”.

The participants ‘ task was simply to look at each other for ten minutes in the eyes and a neutral expression on his face maintain.

A control group of 20 participants was in pairs in a dimly lit room, but their chairs were facing the wall, so that you have this staring.

Both groups were informed that the study would include a “meditative experience with open eyes”.

Some subjects saw the Opposite aspects of one’s own face

After the expiration of the ten minutes, the subjects filled in three questionnaires: the first was an 18-points-Test for dissociative States, the other two asked questions about your experiences with the face of the other Person.

The participants of the group with a view to the eyes of others said that they would have made an experience that was unlike anything they had felt before.

During the Test, the dissociative States, a connection with reduced color intensity and altered perception of sounds.

In the questionnaire, with the stranger’s face 90 percent of the group agreed with the views of the eyes that you had seen some of the deformed facial features.

75 percent said they saw a Monster, 50 percent said that they saw the Opposite aspects of your own face, and 15 percent said to have the face of a relative seen.

Researchers can not explain the observed effect

Caputo is of the view that hallucinations are a kind of Rebound effect, since the participants of the group returned with a view on the eyes after dissociation back into the “reality”.

In the case of dissociation Affected lose touch with reality. For victims, the world appears to be unreal, it can experience memory loss and unusual Perceptions, such as Seeing the world in black and white.

The researchers pointed out, though, that his conclusion is largely speculative, and that the study should be considered preliminary.

Previous Experiments have shown that the mere Stare can cause a spot on the wall for a longer period of time, dissociative States, as well as the Viewing of one’s own face in the mirror.

Why this is so, however, is not clarified yet. And also not why the effect in the look in the eyes clear is more intense down. (ad)