Literature Review #1

Visual:

Summary:

The academic journal is written by Erlendur Haraldsson titled, “Children who speak of past-life experiences: Is there a psychological explanation?” explores and experiments the differences between children who do not have past life experiences (PLE) to children that do. This study was done to examine a claim for “[children with PLE] hav[ing] some psychological resemblance to multiple personalities or dissociative identity disorder” (Haraldsson 57). The study’s hypothesis also looked towards “rich fantasy life dissociative tendencies, and attention-seeking” (Haraldsson 63) and whether these psychological factors played a role within the memory of their past lives. Through the study, it is learned that PLE children did fit some parts of the hypothesis and found results scoping beyond the hypothesis, but mainly the ideas of dissociation are present. This study enables a reason-based application of this phenomenon by using well-developed psychological tools. Some interesting results include that these psychological factors play a role with mild dissociation could point towards the explanation of the imagery that a child produces. However, the study highlights that there can be other contributing factors like PTSD, which interestingly can be taken from these images PLE children experience. Notability, the researcher places emphasis on new thoughts towards the end pertaining to if these findings can support cases with “a high degree of correspondence.” (Haraldsson 65)

Citation: 

Haraldsson, Erlendur. “Children Who Speak of Past-Life Experiences: Is There a Psychological 

Explanation?” Psychology & Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, vol. 76, no. 1, 

Mar. 2003, p. 55. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1348/14760830260569256.

Author:

The author is Erlendur Haraldsson, who is a professor of psychology at the University of Iceland. He has published a number of academic papers and books about parapsychology. His contribution to children’s past-life memories was expanded when he was involved with research with well-known psychiatrist Ian Stevenson. This academic journal of one of many that tackles both reincarnation/children’s past lives. 

Key Terms/Concepts:

Dissociation: is a term used to describe an alternate state of consciousness that some people use as a defensive mechanism against trauma. 

Psychological factors: processes in which children might have which affects/produces an explanation for their behaviors/mental processes

Quotes:

“Dissociation has often been considered a defensive reaction (such as in children against abuse), but also a normal psychological trait with a close relationship to hypnotizability. Dissociation has a long history in studies of altered states of consciousness, hypnosis, and mediumship (formerly sometimes referred to as sensory and motor automatisms). It has been associated with strong paranormal effects.” (Haraldsson 57)

“In the apparent absence of any exceptional life-threatening situation in their life, can it be that persistent images of violent death serve as a stressor causing the symptoms of PTSD? Regarding the second criterion the great majority of PLE children apparently frequently relive and speak about alleged past-life memories of how they died. Regarding the third criterion, the symptom ‘outbursts of anger’ is clearly present, and ‘difficulty in concentrating’ of the CBCL approaches significance.” (Haraldsson 64)

“We do not know what the children are daydreaming about or brooding on. Is it their alleged memories that they speak so much about when they are quite young, or is this daydreaming of a pleasant compensatory type?” (Haraldsson 64)

“posing a problem are those rare cases with a striking correspondence between birthmarks or deformities (and statements) and fatal wounds of a deceased person, for birthmarks form before a child is born.” (Haraldsson 65)

Value:

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This material’s value helps explore the: are children just highly imaginative, and does a child’s highly developmental mind play a role in their experiences, a question that I wish to answer. It provides a psychological look into an experiment that goes to name what could make these children have these thoughts. While it does not look into the central portions of my research (cases), it tries to establish a logical explanation to answer this phenomenon.