The Greyson NDE Scale
The gold standard for measuring near-death experiences, developed by psychiatrist Dr. Bruce Greyson in 1983. This 16-question scale helps researchers and experiencers quantify and compare NDEs.
What is the Greyson Scale?
The Greyson NDE Scale is a standardized questionnaire consisting of 16 questions, each scored 0-2 points. A total score of 7 or higher is generally considered indicative of a genuine near-death experience. The scale measures four components: cognitive features, affective features, paranormal features, and transcendental features.
Score Interpretation
Experience lacks enough NDE characteristics
Contains some NDE elements
Significant NDE with multiple elements
Profound experience with most elements
The 16 Questions
Each question is scored: 0 = No, 1 = Uncertain/Mild, 2 = Yes/Strong
Cognitive Component
- 1.Did time seem to speed up or slow down?
- 2.Were your thoughts speeded up?
- 3.Did scenes from your past come back to you?
- 4.Did you suddenly seem to understand everything?
Affective Component
- 5.Did you have a feeling of peace or pleasantness?
- 6.Did you have a feeling of joy?
- 7.Did you feel a sense of harmony or unity with the universe?
- 8.Did you see or feel surrounded by a brilliant light?
Paranormal Component
- 9.Were your senses more vivid than usual?
- 10.Did you seem to be aware of things going on elsewhere?
- 11.Did scenes from the future come to you?
- 12.Did you feel separated from your body?
Transcendental Component
- 13.Did you seem to enter some other, unearthly world?
- 14.Did you seem to encounter a mystical being or presence?
- 15.Did you see deceased or religious spirits?
- 16.Did you come to a border or point of no return?
Greyson Scores in Our Database
Our AI analyzes each experience narrative to estimate Greyson scale scores. Here's the distribution across 8,000+ documented experiences:
About Dr. Bruce Greyson
Dr. Bruce Greyson is a Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia. He has been studying near-death experiences for over 50 years and is considered one of the founding fathers of NDE research.
He developed the Greyson Scale in 1983 to provide researchers with a standardized tool for measuring and comparing NDEs. The scale has since become the most widely used instrument in NDE research worldwide.
Analyze Your Experience
Curious where your experience falls on the Greyson Scale? Our AI can analyze your narrative and estimate your score.
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