Deja vu: the effect of a “lost impression.” Interesting facts about deja vu
It is not possible to cause it artificially due to the insufficiently studied nature of this effect.
What is the deja vu effect?
The déjà vu effect is a certain state of a person’s psyche that gives him the impression that everything that happens in this moment he had already experienced before. The name comes from the French déjà vu, meaning “already seen.” In such a situation, a person can sometimes say what will happen in the next moment, what actions he will take, what he will see, etc.
This state is very reminiscent of reading a long-forgotten book or watching a film that was seen before and subsequently forgotten. As events unfold, a person, reading a book or watching a movie, begins to remember what will happen next. Previously received information, rising from the depths of the subconscious, helps a person remember long-forgotten stories and facts. The main difference between the deja vu effect is that a person seems to remember only what happened directly to him.
Very often, when the déjà vu effect occurs, depersonalization of the individual is observed. Man on a short time loses clarity of perception of reality, all sensations become weak and unclear.
Reasons for the deja vu effect
At the moment, there are several theories explaining why the déjà vu effect occurs. Not a single theory has yet been recognized as the only correct one.
One of the most reliable explanations for the occurrence of the déjà vu effect is the assumption that preliminary processing of information occurs at an unconscious level, in particular in a state of half-asleep, deep relaxation, half-asleep, and even in sleep. In the moment random coincidence unconsciously simulated situation with real conditions, a déjà vu effect occurs. This is why the deja vu effect often manifests itself in people with a healthy psyche.
Most experts adhere to Andrei Kurgan’s theory. It is based on the assertion that a significant amount of information accumulates in the depths of the subconscious of every person with age. These can be various events from the life of the person himself and other people, his emotions, impressions, reactions to everything he saw, heard, read, that is, any information that caused strong impressions and emotions.
Almost everything that caused strong impressions is later reflected in the dreams that a person sees during a night's rest. Thus, a mixture of what was seen in a dream and real events occurs. At a certain moment, against the backdrop of all this, a déjà vu effect arises, and the person thinks that he has again found himself in some situation.
The French intuitionist philosopher Henri Bergson believed that under the influence of the déjà vu effect, a person’s perception of real events bifurcates, and a partial intensification of previously received sensations and experiences occurs. Therefore, he argued that the effect of déjà vu is nothing more than a “memory of the present.”
Based on research conducted by American scientists, another theory of the occurrence of the déjà vu effect was created. The basis of this theory is the statement that the hippocampus helps a person distinguish real events from visible images. When temporary dysfunction of this part of the brain occurs, a person loses the ability to distinguish what is real from what is imagined.
The main reasons for the violation normal operation hippocampus were recognized:
- frequent stressful situations;
- depression;
- brain overstrain;
- magnetic storms.
At the same time, a similar phenomenon occurs in mental healthy people.
What is the hippocampus?
The hippocampus is a paired component of the olfactory (limbic) part of the brain. Both of its parts, connected by bundles of nerve fibers, are symmetrically located in the temporal regions of both hemispheres.
The main purpose of the hippocampus is to generate an emotional response to external and internal stimuli and to consolidate images by transforming short-term memory into its long-term form. By filtering the information received, the hippocampus allows a person to forget everything unimportant and retain truly important information in memory. In addition, the hippocampus is responsible for spatial memory.
The hippocampus helps remember information received while awake. When a person sleeps, this information is transmitted by the hippocampus to the cortex cerebral hemispheres brain. It induces dreams.
The deja vu effect in children
It is believed that young children do not experience the effect of déjà vu because their subconscious has not yet accumulated sufficient quantity information. Although some experts are of the opinion that children simply do not perceive déjà vu as something unusual. After all, they still believe in fairy tales. AND Small child cannot always reliably explain to an adult what exactly is happening to him or convey his feelings.
In adolescence, the déjà vu effect is observed quite often. Perhaps the reason for this is the intensive maturation of the body, puberty, changes in hormonal levels.
It has been clearly proven that deja vu does not have an effect negative influence on a person’s mental health, does not cause disturbances in brain function and weakening of mental abilities.
Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of the deja vu effect. When such a state arises, you need to remain calm and try to distract yourself and keep yourself busy with something. Because the deja vu effect never occurs on for a long time, you just need to wait it out.
Deja vu: causes of occurrence
Many people very often have this feeling when it seems that an unfamiliar place has already been known for a long time. Such an experience is called déja vu in French, which can be literally translated as “already seen before.”
Thus, in general, 60-80% of people experience déjà vu.
And even though this feeling is so common, it is not as well known to science as we would like. The occurrence of déjà vu is so unpredictable that the cause of its occurrence is very difficult to find out. However, there are currently several theories about the origin of this feeling.
Thus, one theory suggests that the cause is a failure of human memory. Scientists suggest that déjà vu occurs due to differences in short-term and long-term memory. Allegedly, information can bypass short-term memory and go straight into long-term memory.
Another theory is the brain's peculiar reaction to familiar details. For example, déjà vu can arise in the following situation: a person enters a restaurant in an unfamiliar country, and the details of the interior design are very similar to the interior of an already familiar restaurant.
The most common hypothesis is about neural discharges. In order to determine those parts that transmit déjà vu signals, scientists measured the brain activity of people with epilepsy. And surprisingly, this section turned out to be the olfactory cortex. Thus, scientists have agreed that déjà vu is the result of dysfunctional electrical discharges in the brain.
But scientists have also proven that such neural discharges also occur in absolutely healthy people. An example is the involuntary shuddering that can sometimes occur when falling asleep. But researchers still believe that déjà vu in sick and healthy people are completely different phenomena, because in the first such experiences can last for quite a long time, while in others they are only fleeting moments.
There are also many other theories that seem paranormal. These are such as past life, alien influence and many others.
Of course, these are still only theories and assumptions, but the scientific process is constantly evolving, so sooner or later this riddle will find its solution. In the meantime, we can only be amazed at the abilities of our brain and consciousness, which give us many surprises and interesting surprises. And such a phenomenon as deja vu, shining example the uniqueness of human creation.
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What is deja vu
The state of déjà vu is somewhat similar to re-reading a book that you have already read or watching a movie that you have already seen, but have completely forgotten the plot. At the same time, it is impossible to remember what will happen in the next minute.
Déjà vu is a fairly common occurrence. Studies have shown that 97% of all healthy people have experienced this condition at least once in their lives. Patients with epilepsy experience it much more often. It cannot be induced artificially, and it appears on its own extremely rarely. Therefore, scientific research into the déjà vu effect is very difficult to conduct.
Reasons for deja vu
A possible reason for the phenomenon lies in a change in the way the brain encodes time. It is easier to imagine the process as a one-time encoding of information as “past” and “present” with the simultaneous experience of these processes. Because of this, a disconnect from reality can be felt.
There is a work on this topic called “The Phenomenon of Deja Vu”, its author is Andrey Kurgan. Studies of the structure of time in a state of déjà vu lead the scientist to the conclusion that the reason for experiencing the phenomenon is the layering of two situations on top of each other: experienced in the present and once experienced in a dream. The condition of layering is a change in the structure of time when the future invades the present, revealing its existential deep project. At the same time, the present seems to “stretch”, containing both the future and the past.
Conclusion
Today, the most reasonable assumption for the occurrence of the déjà vu effect is that this sensation is caused by unconscious processing of information in a dream. That is, when a person encounters a situation in reality that is close to real event and was modeled by the brain at an unconscious level, then the déjà vu effect occurs.
Why do you feel déjà vu?
The question of why the déjà vu effect occurs is being studied by a large number of specialists. Numerous versions are based on the opinion that this false memory is provoked by problems in the functioning of the brain. Each scientific discipline explains the cause and mechanism of these failures in its own way.
How does this condition manifest?
This term is based on the French expression “déjà vu”, which in translation sounds like “already seen”. This state is manifested by a clear understanding that the surrounding circumstances or ongoing events have already happened before, although you are sure that nothing like this has happened before. You may recognize a stranger, remember a room you have never been to, or a book you have never read before.
A characteristic feature is the absence of an exact date for the event in the past with which the memories are associated. That is, you know for sure that it has already happened, but you cannot remember when exactly. This sensation does not last long, usually a few seconds, and sometimes a person only realizes after a few minutes what happened to him.
The first person to wonder why déjà vu occurs was a psychologist from France, Emile Boirac. Subsequently, representatives of such fields of science as psychiatry, biology, physiology, and parapsychology joined the study of this topic. Adherents of occult disciplines were no less interested in this phenomenon.
The main difficulty is that all processes that provoke and control false memories occur in the brain and any intervention can lead to negative changes in the work and structure of this organ.
The opinion of modern physiologists about why deja vu occurs
Researchers from the University of Massachusetts say that the phenomenon of false memories originates in the temporal region of the brain, called the hippocampus.
This assumption is the basis of the main opinion of modern physiologists about why the feeling of déjà vu occurs. The function of the hippocampus is to collate and compare new and existing information in a person’s memory. It is this part of the brain that allows you to distinguish and compare events that happened in the past and in the present time.
For example, a person sees a book in front of him for the first time. The hippocampus analyzes information by comparing it with data that exists in memory. With normal brain functionality, a person understands that he has never come across this book before.
If the hippocampus malfunctions, then the information seen immediately goes to the memory center, without being analyzed. After a second or two, the glitch is eliminated and the hippocampus processes the information again. By turning to the memory center, where there is already data about the book, the temporal lobe informs the person that this printed edition they had already encountered before. Thus, false memories arise.
According to scientists, the reasons for such failures may be:
- changes in atmospheric pressure;
- physical fatigue;
- nervous tension;
- mental disorders.
American scientist Burnham refutes this claim. He believes that this condition develops when a person is completely relaxed and free from thoughts, experiences, and anxieties. At such moments, the subconscious begins to work faster and experience moments that will happen in the future in advance.
Why does deja vu happen - the opinion of psychologists and psychiatrists
Psychology experts believe that the occurrence of erroneous memories is a defense mechanism human body. Finding yourself in an unfamiliar situation, a person experiences stress. To avoid this, he begins to look for some elements or circumstances that are familiar to him. Not finding the necessary information in memory, the brain invents it.
Some psychiatrists are confident that this condition is a symptom of a mental disorder. In addition to deja vu, such patients also suffer from other memory disorders. If left untreated, false memories develop into dangerous and long-lasting hallucinations, under the influence of which the patient can harm both himself and those around him.
Known for his work in psychiatry, Sigmund Freud believed that déjà vu is a previously experienced real situation, the memories of which were “hidden.” For example, you watched a movie that caused unpleasant or traumatic situations. To protect you, the brain “moved” information about this event into the subconscious. Then, under the influence of various factors, the image comes out.
Why does the deja vu effect occur - the answer of metaphysicians
There is another theory from the field of metaphysics. According to this philosophical doctrine, a person simultaneously exists in the past, present and future. These planes never intersect with each other and in a conscious state people perceive only the present time. Memories of what did not happen arise when, due to failures, the intersection of these parallel dimensions occurs.
What people say about why there is a feeling of déjà vu
The simpler and most popular opinion among the people defines this state as a recalled dream that was previously dreamed. A person does not remember that such a dream occurred, but data about it exists in the subconscious. People who believe in the transmigration of the soul believe that they have already experienced this situation in a previous reincarnation.
Most often, doctors of science and people with a high level of intelligence remember what did not happen. Other interesting facts and theories are presented in this video.
According to statistics, about 97% of people have encountered this phenomenon. Experts recommend that those who experience this condition for the first time not to give in to anxiety. At the same time, in case of frequently recurring phenomena, it would not hurt to consult with a psychologist or other specialist in this field.
Why does the feeling of déjà vu occur?
The mental phenomenon of déjà vu remains to this day not fully understood, due to its uncontrolled occurrence in humans and its rather rare manifestation. However, it is the mystery of the phenomenon that arouses genuine interest in it from official medicine, psychology, various esoteric movements and sciences, and even religion. They all put forward their hypotheses about what déjà vu is and why it occurs.
What is deja vu?
Almost every person (97% of people, to be more precise) on the planet has encountered a very interesting phenomenon: the events that happen to him here and now cause a strong feeling that something similar has happened to him before, in the past. This is called the déjà vu effect.
As a matter of fact, the term déjà vu translated from French means “already seen.” At the same time, a person, as a rule, cannot remember any specific details of his memories; there remains only a vague feeling that all this has already happened, and this feeling can be quite strong.
Such mental phenomena occur quite rarely and spontaneously in healthy people, so tracking and studying them is very problematic. It is known that in those suffering from epilepsy and injuries to the temporal part of the brain, the déjà vu effect occurs much more often, so it can be assumed that the causes of its occurrence lie precisely in the person’s brain.
As a rule, the phenomenon is accompanied by the effect of depersonalization and a short-term loss of a sense of reality, when everything seems somehow unreal (like glitches in the matrix, in the film of the same name).
You can also encounter the opposite phenomenon, which is called “jamaevu”. This is when a person perceives something already known as if it were the first time. For example, walking home along a street that you have been walking along for many years, you suddenly get the feeling that you are in a completely unfamiliar place.
Reasons for the deja vu effect
There are quite a few different hypotheses about why déjà vu occurs, but we will consider only the main ones.
1. Short-term disruption of connections between consciousness and the unconscious.
Our subconscious is a huge cauldron in which many unconscious images, ideas, thoughts, experiences, everything that is repressed from consciousness for some reason are cooked. And when in reality there is a coincidence with unconscious images and experiences, a feeling of déjà vu arises.
2. The images seen in a dream coincide with reality.
Perhaps the most popular and truthful reason is the assumption that déjà vu occurs when there is a partial coincidence between what was experienced in a dream and what a person is experiencing at the moment. In a dream, the brain can simulate situations that are very close to reality, because the material for dreams is a person’s real memories, his sensations and experiences. Sometimes such situations can come true in reality (prophetic dreams), but often there are only partial matches between the images, causing a feeling of déjà vu.
3. Recall and memorization are triggered simultaneously.
When faced with something new, the human brain begins to compare the information it receives with what is already in memory (I know - I don’t know), and then writes it down. But for a moment there is a glitch in the system and new information it is simultaneously recorded and read, perceived by the brain as already in memory, causing a feeling of déjà vu.
One reason for this failure may be the difference in speed between the visual information the brain receives from each eye.
4. When deja vu turns out to be a real memory.
We recall the film of Shurik’s adventures, when he was taking the exam and was so carried away by the preparation that he completely did not pay attention to what was happening around him, including his trip to visit unknown girl=) And then, being there for the second time, I began to experience that same feeling of déjà vu. Even when we pass something past our consciousness, our brain continuously receives a whole bunch of information and stores it in the subconscious, and then when we encounter it in a conscious state, vague memories and sensations arise.
5. Various esoteric and fantastic hypotheses
So, according to one version, deja vu manifests itself as a memory of a person’s past lives, after the soul moves into a new body. There is a hypothesis that time as such is not a linear phenomenon, it can bend, form loops, stratify, and even generally be static, having neither beginning nor end. As a result, déjà vu is explained as a connection with one’s other “I” from a parallel universe, or as a jumping of consciousness along the timeline (time travel), and after returning from the future to the past, residual memories of the future may appear in the form of a déjà vu effect.
Deja vu is it. Why does deja vu occur?
Déjà vu is an unusual effect in which the present is perceived as the past. Since ancient times, people have tried to find an explanation for this phenomenon. Forgotten dreams, fantasies, severe fatigue, reincarnation - many ideas and theories are put forward by scientists, psychics, psychologists and parapsychologists.
Origin of the word "déjà vu"
The French word déjà vu sounds like “deja vu” in Russian. This phenomenon conveys a person's feeling that he has already been to this place or knows people whom he has never met before.
The deja vu effect (the translation of the word is “already seen”) also has the opposite phenomenon. Jamais vu – “never seen.” It occurs at a moment when a person does not recognize or remember a familiar situation or place.
The word “déjà vu” itself in Russian is usually written together. This difference from the French version has no serious justification. This spelling is usually used for simplicity and convenience.
Deja vu effect
Déjà vu is a well-known term that is often used in psychology, psychiatry, Everyday life. Déjà vu, or false memory, is a mental condition. During it, a person gets the feeling that he has already been in a similar place or situation.
The phenomenon of déjà vu occurs unexpectedly, lasts a few seconds and also suddenly disappears. It cannot be induced artificially. In the book “Psychology of the Future,” Emile Boirac first used a similar term.
In healthy people, the déjà vu effect occurs several times in a lifetime. Patients with epilepsy may experience this sensation several times a day. At the same time, deja vu is often accompanied by hallucinations.
Why does deja vu happen? Early Christians argued that the phenomenon was associated with human reincarnation, his memories of past lives. However, in the 6th century this theory was recognized by the highest church authorities as heretical.
Causes of deja vu
Déjà vu is a mental state in which a distinct feeling is created that the individual has already experienced similar feelings or been in the same situation. Such memories are not associated with specific moments from the past. It refers to the past as a whole; a person cannot identify a similar situation with a similar one in his conscious past.
The phenomenon was studied by psychologists, psychics, doctors, and priests. Why does deja vu happen? What causes it to appear? There are several hypotheses as to why the phenomenon sometimes occurs in healthy people.
- Forgotten dreams or fantasies. They manifest themselves when a person finds himself in a place or situation that he has seen in dreams or dreams.
- Fatigue or sleepiness also contributes to forgetting. Memories are erased from memory. When a person finds himself in a similar situation again, a déjà vu effect occurs.
- An emotional state during puberty or a midlife crisis, when a person tries to anticipate pictures of an ideal future or is nostalgic about a bygone time.
- Anomaly of brain development. This hypothesis belongs to American scientists who found that a lack of gray matter in the subcortex can provoke a déjà vu effect.
- Serious problems associated with a person’s mental state that need to be eliminated with the help of professional medicine.
Types of deja vu
What does deja vu mean? This is a general term. It includes fleeting memories of sounds, smells, places, situations, feelings and sensations. In fact, the déjà vu effect is delimited by narrower concepts.
Déjà visité (“deja visit”) – I’ve already been here. Being in a new place, a person feels that it is familiar to him. That he was already here once. This term is associated with place and orientation in space.
Presque vu (“Presque vu”) – almost seen. The most popular phenomenon is when a person cannot remember a word, title, name, phrase. This state is very disturbing and distracting. The search for the right word may linger in your thoughts for up to 2–3 days.
Déjà vécu (“deja vécu”) - I have already heard sounds and smells. This vague feeling that a person can predict what will happen next. He remembers familiar smells or hears sounds that give rise to further memories. But the effect is limited only by sensations. No further memories occur.
Déjà senti (“deja senti”) – I already felt it. The feeling that feelings or emotions have already existed. As if the person had already felt the same thing as he was feeling at the moment.
Opposite effect
Jamais vu (“zhamevue”) – translated into Russian as “never seen.” This is a situation when a person is familiar with a place, setting, environment, but he does not recognize it. This phenomenon creates a feeling of another reality. It seems to a person that he is in another time, an unfamiliar place.
This memory distortion is a subtype of cryptomnesia and is correlated with mental disorders. Jamevu is rare and is a sign of schizophrenia, senile psychosis.
Frequent deja vu
Frequent déjà vu is rare in healthy people. This happens when processing of several types of memory is layered. Frequent déjà vu, accompanied by anxiety and smells, is a functional disorder that should be treated by a psychologist or neurologist. Also, frequent déjà vu is a symptom of temporary lobar epilepsy.
The phenomenon is based on an individual neurophysiological abnormality. It can be congenital or acquired (for example, after neurosurgery). Psychiatrists warn that frequent déjà vu may be the initial stage of a mental personality disorder.
Deja vu studies
Déjà vu is an interesting phenomenon scientific research which began to be studied a little over a century ago. German scientists in the 19th century suggested that the phenomenon manifests itself at a moment of extreme fatigue. This is when disruptions occur in the cerebral cortex.
Sigmund Freud believed that déjà vu occurs as a result of the resurrection of subconscious, forgotten fantasies. Arthur Allyn claimed that the phenomenon was a fragment of a forgotten dream.
Herman Sno hypothesized that memories are stored in the form of holograms. Each fragment contains certain information. The smaller the fragment of the hologram, the more vague the memory. When a real situation coincides with any fragment of memory, a déjà vu effect occurs.
According to the theory of Pierre Glur, memory consists of 2 systems - restoration and recognition. When déjà vu occurs, the recognition system is activated, and the recovery system is temporarily disabled.
Scientific substantiation of the phenomenon
Modern scientists believe that the phenomenon of déjà vu is associated with a certain area of the brain. It's called the hippocampus. It is this zone that is responsible for identifying objects. Through experiments, it was revealed that the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus allows one to instantly recognize the slightest differences in similar images.
A person, experiencing something in the present, is able to correlate his feelings with past feelings and try to predict his reaction in the future. At this moment, the necessary areas of the brain are turned on, short-term and long-term memory begins to interact. That is, the past, present and future are present in the human brain. Therefore, events of the present can be perceived as the past - this is why déjà vu occurs.
The hippocampus divides human experience into past and present. Sometimes impressions are too similar; a person experiences identical situations many times. There is a slight disruption in the connections between long-term and short-term memory. The hippocampus compares similar memories, recognizes the mise-en-scene - then déjà vu occurs.
Mystical rationale for the phenomenon
Experts in the field of parapsychology and extrasensory perception suggest that the phenomenon of déjà vu is directly related to reincarnation. Human life is a certain stage of acquiring knowledge and experience. After the end of one stage begins new round life. In the next incarnation, a person will have to go through a different path and gain different experience and knowledge.
Proponents of reincarnation argue that the phenomenon of déjà vu is memories of past lives and past stages. Just as a person is able to recognize a place or situation, he can recognize a person he knows from a past life. This is what explains strong feelings for strangers at first sight. It could be love or hate. Such feelings confirm that people knew each other in past incarnations.
What is deja vu: mystical experience or mental illness
How often, when we find ourselves in an unusual environment, do we feel comfortable and calm? Hardly. Strangers and new circumstances deprive even the most liberated and courageous people of self-confidence. But what if the situation in which a person finds himself for the first time by all indicators seems painfully familiar? “Deja vu,” we tell ourselves. But can we give a precise definition of what déjà vu is?
“It seems like this has happened to me before...”
You are sure that you have never been in this apartment and have never seen this person, but your memory says otherwise. You are definitely familiar with this crack on the wall, this disgusting striped wallpaper, and you have already heard these words in exactly the same sequence and in exactly the same circumstances. And now the phone will ring...
At the same time, you experience a feeling of unreality or artificiality of what is happening: it seems to you that all this is not really happening to you.
Most people experience similar sensations at least once in their lives (recent studies suggest that up to 96% of people know about déjà vu firsthand). What are the reasons for this phenomenon?
“It was, I felt, I came,” or types of deja vu
In science, there are several classifications of this phenomenon. The most popular of them was proposed by the Swiss parapsychologist A. Fankhauser. He identified three types of phenomenon:
- déjà vecu – “already lived”, when the very situation in which a person finds himself seems familiar;
- deja senti (déjà senti) – “already experienced”: it is not the circumstances themselves that seem familiar, but those feelings (usually extraordinary) that a person experiences;
- déjà visit – “already visited.”
It is this type of déjà vu that is usually described by supporters of mystical explanations of this phenomenon, who are inclined to see in it a confirmation of the theory of the transmigration of souls.
Causes and mechanisms of development of déjà vu
It is believed that the term déjà vu (literally “already seen”) was first used by the French philosopher and parapsychologist E. Boirac in the book “Psychology of the Future,” written by him at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries.
The first scientific description of this phenomenon appeared a little later. It was made by one of the founders of modern neurology, the English psychiatrist J. H. Jackson. While studying and treating temporal lobe epilepsy, he noticed that patients often experience déjà vu before seizures.
A similar case, by the way, was described by F. M. Dostoevsky in the novel “The Idiot”, main character who, like the writer himself, suffered from seizures.
Who is to blame: physiological aspects of déjà vu
Studying déjà vu is not an easy task. Firstly, this phenomenon does not have any external (including behavioral) manifestations. Researchers have to rely either on own experience, or the description of this experience by other people.
Secondly, déjà vu is almost impossible to cause. However, modern equipment and research methods have allowed neurophysiologists to develop several theories of the origin of the phenomenon.
Is déjà vu an epileptic seizure?
The work of J. H. Jackson, who studied the phenomenon of déjà vu in patients with epilepsy, gave scientists reason to assume that the phenomenon and the disease have common points of contact.
According to one version, when these organs are stimulated, a healthy person experiences an epileptic micro-seizure. It does not lead to loss of consciousness and does not have catastrophic consequences for brain function, but it does lead to déjà vu.
Moreover, in some people, due to birth or childhood trauma, the hippocampus has increased excitability. This explains the fact that some people experience the phenomenon of déjà vu three times a year, while others are not familiar with this feeling at all.
Brain system software error
One more possible reason The occurrence of déjà vu is considered to be a violation of synchronicity in the work of different areas of the brain responsible for the transmission of sensory (received from the senses) information. An error in the system leads to incorrect results - in this sense, the human brain is not much different from a computer.
Perception combined with memory
The processes of memorization and recall are interconnected. Normally, information first enters the brain, is then processed, and only then is remembered. But sometimes these processes occur almost simultaneously, and to the confused brain it seems that memory precedes memorization.
The resulting information is deciphered simultaneously both as something happening here and now, and as something that has already happened in the past. In itself, such a brain reaction (like the mixing of times) is not something paradoxical.
For example, in everyday speech we often use the present tense to refer to the past and vice versa. How many times have you said, “I’m walking down the street and I see” about an event that happened, say, a few years ago?
Deja vu: the opinion of psychologists
The phenomenon of déjà vu interests psychologists no less than physiologists.
Freud's student (and later rival) Carl Gustav Jung offered a different version of the origins of déjà vu. According to him analytical psychology, human consciousness is based on innate ideas about the world - archetypes. Moreover, archetypes are not so much specific ideas as a given form of these ideas, beyond which a person cannot go.
Déjà vu, therefore, is a concrete implementation of archetypal models embedded in a person’s consciousness from the moment of his birth.
Modern Japanese researcher T. Kusumi connects the emergence of the phenomenon with the actual recall of a certain similar situation. He proposes to distinguish between two types of memory: explicit - conscious - and hidden, when the memorization process occurs unconsciously. And if the situation is not realized, then it is as if it did not exist.
Déjà vu occurs precisely when hidden memory mechanisms are involved. If the brain cannot find anything similar in explicit memory, it decides whether to consider events in latent memory to be identical to what is happening here and now. A positive solution to this issue leads to the emergence of déjà vu.
Another theory relates to the feeling of depersonalization that occurs during déjà vu. Thus, according to A. A. Kurgan, the deja vu effect is due to the fact that in the process of awareness, for one reason or another, the subject of awareness fades into the background. In the foreground, only a certain stream of consciousness remains, for which any situation is familiar.
Mystical explanations of the condition
Difficulties in studying the phenomenon of déjà vu and its impossibility full explanation strictly scientific methods led to the emergence of many mystical explanations.
Why not? In the end, the same Jung believed that so-called “rational thinking” is only one of the types of thinking that may or may not have a connection with objective reality.
Foresight and higher intelligence
Déjà vu is associated with a person’s ability to foresee the future. Very often we are talking about intervention in everyday life the higher mind, which lifts the veil of secrecy before a person, giving him the opportunity to see his destiny through prophetic dreams or momentary insights.
Reincarnation and transmigration of souls
As a teenager, the already mentioned founder of analytical psychology, Carl Gustav Jung, once saw a picture that captured his imagination. Looking at the portrait of a doctor who lived in the 17th century, the boy was amazed to recognize the buckles on his shoes. The déjà vu was so strong that the future scientist allegedly believed until the end of his life that the person depicted in the painting was one of his reincarnations.
There is no need to be surprised by this state of affairs: the fascination with mediums and spiritualistic seances and everything that is now called parapsychology was not just widespread at the beginning of the 20th century. Young women prone to hysteria, artists, writers, and physicists participated in these sessions.
Cyclic rebirth of the Universe
Humanity experiences the same events over and over again with minor variations. The universe is created and destroyed over and over again, wars, disasters and great discoveries are repeated again and again. It’s not surprising that sometimes something seems vaguely familiar to us - after all, we’ve experienced it so many times!
This theory, by the way, is often used in cinema: remember the Wachowski trilogy about the Matrix or the latest film by D. Aronofsky “Mom!”
Many Worlds Theory
Since time, as we know from quantum theory, is the fourth dimension, the existence of several worlds in which events occur asynchronously is quite possible. What is deja vu? This is the point of intersection of these worlds, when the past meets the present and the future for a short moment, and a person has the opportunity to simultaneously exist in several dimensions.
The hypothesis is, of course, fantastic, but much more real than it seems at first glance.
Similar phenomena
The antipode of deja vu is jamais vu (jamais vu - “never seen”), when a familiar environment seems alien and unrecognizable. In extreme cases, it can be a symptom of a serious mental illness. But such a phenomenon also occurs in the life of an ordinary person. Try, for example, to repeat a word a hundred times - by the seventieth time it will seem like a strange set of sounds, and nothing more.
Presqueue, or “almost seen,” is the temporary existence of the signified without the signifier. When you can't remember the name of the street where your friend lives, or a term you know well from school, you experience resque vu.
Freud believed that the cause of this kind of forgetfulness is the subconscious repression of unwanted information associated with a traumatic experience of one kind or another.
The ladder mind is, unlike the phenomena described above, much less mysterious. This is the name for the lack of resourcefulness when a person finds the right answer to a remark that has confused him (usually ironic or offensive) only after right moment passed.
Déjà vu as a mental disorder
Sometimes deja vu is indeed a symptom of psychoneurological diseases: the already mentioned temporal lobe epilepsy, depression, schizophrenia, organic brain disorders, etc.
A sick person often experiences sharply negative emotions and is even afraid of a repetition of this feeling, which becomes much closer to a nightmarish hallucination. In addition, deja vu in this case lasts much longer than usual: from several minutes to several hours.
Conclusion
What is deja vu? So far, humanity has not accumulated much information about this condition. But once upon a time, electricity seemed an absolutely mystical phenomenon, but today we habitually flip the switch several times a day. Who knows, maybe our grandchildren will just as easily turn their brains on and off, and déjà vu will just be a fun intellectual exercise for them?
Manifestations of the “déjà vu” effect
Today, the déjà vu effect is considered one of the most mysterious phenomena of humanity. It occurs unexpectedly and lasts only a few seconds. A person in a state of deja vu perceives the situation happening to him at the moment as something that has already been seen and experienced before. This could be, for example, an unfamiliar place that suddenly seems familiar, or a whole chain of events in which a person can already name all his words and actions in advance, as well as feel the way of thinking of another person.
The meaning of the word comes from the French déjà vu, which literally means “already seen.”
This phenomenon has been studied since ancient times. Aristotle was one of the first to attribute the effect of déjà vu to a special mental state that arises during the influence of certain factors on the mental and psychic organization of a person. The most active research into déjà vu began in the 19th century thanks to Emile Boirac's book The Future of Psychology. The researcher touched upon the then phenomenal topic of déjà vu, also identifying several more similar mental states. The antipode of deja vu - the concept of "jame vu" - is considered one of the symptoms of mental disorders. Whereas the effect of “already seen” itself refers exclusively to the game of consciousness. The meaning of the word "jamais vu" is translated as "never seen."
Reasons for the phenomenon
There are many theories and versions of why déjà vu occurs. From a biological point of view, the déjà vu effect occurs in the temporal region of the brain, where the hippocampal gyrus is located. It is she who is responsible for recognizing information and finding differences between different objects and phenomena. When the gyrus is fully functioning, a person is able to distinguish the past from the present and future, new experience from what has already been experienced.
Scientists believe that déjà vu occurs due to a malfunction of the hippocampus, which processes the same memory twice. In this case, a person does not remember what happened to him the first time, but feels only the result of the second, exactly the same event experienced. The functioning of the gyrus can be disrupted due to various diseases, prolonged depression, sudden changes in temperature, etc.
Psychology considers the appearance of déjà vu from the point of view of a certain mental state into which a person enters. Some psychotherapists argue that it is the ability to frequently experience the effect of déjà vu that causes epileptic seizures, schizophrenia and disorders of consciousness, and not vice versa. Finding yourself in an unfamiliar environment that inspires mistrust, the human brain automatically turns on the self-defense function and begins to look for familiar places, people, and objects. Not finding any, he “comes up” with his own analogue, which seems to the person to have already been seen before.
Metaphysical theory gives its own interesting interpretation of why the déjà vu effect occurs. This theory is based on an ecstatic concept based on the four dimensions of our reality. The first three are represented by the past, present and future, respectively, while the fourth dimension is defined by time space. We are at a given moment in time in a certain place and live through our individual events, while at the same time in a neighboring city or country people perform certain actions in the same way. The manifestation of déjà vu lifts the curtain of temporary space before us, showing us those places that we are supposed to see in the future, or events that we should experience. Parapsychology, in turn, considers the phenomenon as a memory from a past life.
There is another version of why this phenomenon occurs. It is associated with information that has long been recognized, but forgotten today. This could be a book you once read with some interesting facts and sights, a movie you watched, a melody you heard, etc. At a certain point in time, the brain revives long-learned information, combining it with elements of what is happening in the present. IN real life There are a huge number of such cases, therefore, our simple curiosity can cause deja vu.
During sleep, the brain simulates various life situations that could happen in reality. Many cases of deja vu are associated precisely with events, places and phenomena previously seen in a dream. In moments of déjà vu, our subconscious awakens, just as when falling asleep, giving us information that is inaccessible to ordinary conscious thinking.
The latest developments by scientists boil down to the fact that the phenomenon of déjà vu occurs due to the holographic theory. Some fragments of the current hologram of memories coincide with elements of another hologram (past time). Their layering on top of each other gives the phenomenon of déjà vu.
Manifestations
A person can experience the effect of déjà vu hundreds of times in his life. Each manifestation of the phenomenon is accompanied by certain symptoms. The person seems to enter an altered state of consciousness; everything around him seems to be happening as if in a dream. The feeling of confidence that he has already been to this place and once experienced this event does not leave him. A person knows in advance the lines that he will say, and further actions surrounding people. The manifestation of déjà vu is somewhat similar to the ability to foresee an event, but it is only subconscious in nature.
Deja vu passes as unexpectedly as it occurs. Most often it lasts no more than a minute. The phenomenon of “already seen” most often does not have any significant effect on the human psyche and consciousness and occurs in 97% of healthy people. However, in medical practice, cases of a relationship between the frequent occurrence of déjà vu and mental disorders have already been identified. Therefore, you should not ignore going to a specialist if you feel that you are often finding yourself in “already experienced” situations.
It happens that the symptoms of déjà vu accompany epileptic seizures, while the person cannot control either the course of the phenomenon or the onset of the seizure itself. Many scientists today are struggling with the question of why déjà vu still occurs and how to get rid of this phenomenon. In the meantime, there is no answer to the question, so people suffering from epilepsy, as well as those prone to mental disorders, it is recommended not to worry too much about life events, to protect yourself from exciting external factors and unfamiliar environments, so that the feeling of déjà vu arises as rarely as possible.
One can ponder for a long time about the reasons why the phenomenon of “already seen” occurs. It is impossible to say unequivocally that déjà vu is good or bad. However, until a consensus is found on this phenomenon, déjà vu will remain a mysterious and unknown phenomenon to this day. This game of consciousness is basically safe for the human body. Close attention should be paid to it only if it becomes too frequent.
The deja vu effect - what is it? Types of deja vu, causes
The human brain is a unique organ, the abilities of which people have learned to use only a few percent. Capabilities nervous system allow people to experience various kinds of feelings and emotions, among which quite unusual sensations of already lived reality may appear.
Developing and discovering new facets of their subconscious, people sometimes encounter difficult-to-explain phenomena, for example, the deja vu effect.
As with the study of any other phenomenon, scientists' opinions regarding the manifestation of the déjà vu effect are divided: some consider it a sign of mental illness, while others consider it a sign of genius.
However, for the most part, the manifestation of the phenomenon is associated with the peculiarities of the functioning of the human brain, for which there are some reasons today.
History of the origin of the term
The term “déjà vu” is of French origin and literally means “already seen.” The term was first used by Emile Boirac, who was a scientist in the field of psychology and created the book “The Future of Psychical Sciences.”
The déjà vu effect is a complex mental state during which there is a feeling of repetition of current events. The peculiarity of deja vu is that the feeling experienced is absolutely in no way connected with any experienced moment, but is relative in nature to the past.
Causes of deja vu
Many specialists are studying the causes of complex phenomena of human consciousness, various areas psychology.
Despite the fact that many years of studying the phenomenon of déjà vu did not reveal the exact cause of its occurrence, scientists have identified its possible prerequisites.
The emergence of deceptive and simulated memories occurs in a part of the brain located in the temporal lobe and called the hippocampus. It is the temporal part that is responsible for receiving and analyzing perceived information.
The vast majority of people have experienced déjà vu at least once in their lives - one of the most mysterious phenomena associated with our memory. But not everyone knows that this mysterious feeling has several interesting varieties. Here is a list of the seven most common...
1. Deja vu (déjà vu - “already seen”).
The same, the famous déjà vu. In scientific terms, this is a mental state in which a person feels that he has once been in a similar situation, but this feeling is not associated with a specific moment in the past, but refers to the past in general.
That is, experiencing the classic feeling of déjà vu, you feel that you have already seen a similar place or situation, but you cannot remember exactly when. Often, experiencing the classic feeling of déjà vu, a person cannot even understand for sure whether he saw this before in reality or in a dream.
2. Deja century (Déjà Vécu - “already experienced”).
While déjà vu is the feeling that you have seen something before, déjà vu is the feeling that you have seen the event before, but in more detail, that you recognize the smells and sounds. This is often accompanied by a strong feeling that you know what will happen next. Those famous moments from the Final Destination films that the main characters experienced are nothing more than deja century.
3. Deja visité (Déjà Visité - “already visited”).
This is a less common phenomenon in which there is an inexplicable knowledge of a new place. For example, you may know the route to a new city, despite the fact that you have never been there and know that you could not obtain this knowledge in any way. Remember Shurik the student from “Operation Y”. Deja visit concerns space and geography, while deja century is associated with temporary events.
4. Deja Senti (Déjà Senti - “already felt”).
It is the appearance of something you have already felt. This is a mental phenomenon that rarely remains in memory. The memory is usually triggered by the sound of another person's voice, spoken thoughts, or reading. Or, when visiting some places that are memorable for you, you again experience those feelings that filled you before in that particular place.
Unlike other types of déjà vu, with déjà senti there is no shadow of something paranormal or unnatural.
5. Jamais Vu.
This is the opposite of déjà vu and describes a familiar situation that you do not recognize. The person does not recognize the situation, although he knows that he has been here before. You may suddenly not recognize another person, word, or place you know.
In one study, researchers asked 92 volunteers to write the word “door” 30 times in 1 minute. As a result, 68 percent of participants experienced symptoms of jamevu, meaning they began to doubt that the word “door” was real. This may indicate that jamevu is a symptom of brain fatigue.
6. Presque.
This feeling “on the tip of the tongue” is the same strong feeling when you can’t remember a word you know well. Often this condition can be intrusive and even painful. The person remembers one or more characteristics of a forgotten word, such as the first letter, but feels a slight anguish when searching for the entire word itself and a feeling of relief when the word appears in the mind.
7. Staircase mind or wit on the stairs (L’esprit de l’Escalier).
This is the state when you find a smart solution or answer when it is already too late. This could be a retaliatory attack on an insult, a witty remark that comes to mind when it has already become useless. It's like you're "on the stairs leaving the stage." In Russian, the phrase “strong in hindsight” is used to denote this state.
Deja vu is considered to be a certain psychological condition, during which a person feels that a similar situation has already happened, while this feeling is in no way connected with any moment from the past. As a rule, at this moment a person is enveloped in a certain feeling of strangeness, and he also understands that this is not real. There are times when a person can even know with frightening accuracy what will happen next. And some even perceive the effect of déjà vu as paranormal abilities.
The term “Déjà vu” was first used by psychologist Emil Buarakov in his book “L’Avenirdessciencespsychigues” (Psychology of the Future).
There are also very similar phenomena: “already heard” and “already experienced.” But the opposite phenomenon of deja vu is jamais vu - “never seen before.” During this state, a person experiences a strange feeling: for example, he is in a place familiar to him, while feeling that he has never been here.
What are the reasons for the phenomenon of déjà vu and how does it manifest itself?
There are cases when the impressions of déjà vu can be so strong that they haunt a person for many years. At the same time, the person is unable to remember absolutely no details of the events that he experienced during déjà vu. As a rule, deja vu is accompanied by so-called depersonalization. This can be explained this way: reality becomes so blurry that a person cannot concentrate. It happens that a person experiences a state of “derealization of personality” - this can be compared to the denial of reality. Freud gave this definition to this condition. But Bergson gave his definition of déjà vu: he believed that it was “a memory of the present.” He was sure that at that moment the person perceived reality as if it were divided and, to some extent, was mentally transported to the past.
Research has shown that the phenomenon of déjà vu is a very common phenomenon. 97% of absolutely healthy people have been in this state at least once in their lives. But among people who suffer from epilepsy, this percentage is even higher. No matter how hard scientists try, it is impossible to artificially induce déjà vu. This is precisely the reason why scientists can tell us so little about this strange phenomenon. The exact reasons why a person experiences déjà vu are not known. The only thing that scientists agree on is that déjà vu is caused by the interaction of various processes in the areas of the brain that are responsible for perception and memory.
At the moment, the most plausible proposal can be considered the following: the déjà vu effect is caused by nothing more than preliminary processing of information, for example, during sleep. In life, a person finds himself in a situation that his subconscious has already thought through and played out in a dream, and the brain has successfully simulated, and the event is very close to the real situation. This is how the deja vu effect occurs. Psychiatrists claim that if a person experiences the phenomenon of déjà vu too often, this indicates a mental disorder.
Déjà vu is the feeling that you have already lived through some experience before in your life. Most likely, you have experienced a feeling of déjà vu at least once in your life. It's a strange, disturbing, and sometimes creepy little event. No matter how surprising it may be, déjà vu still remains a mystery to science. Nevertheless, we managed to learn quite a lot. In this article we will tell you 10 facts about this mysterious psychological phenomenon.
1. The term “déjà vu” is of French origin and means “already seen”
2. Some people who have experienced déjà vu say it is like the dream they have ever had.
3. What is called “déjà vu” usually lasts a very short time, which is why this phenomenon is so difficult to understand and study
4. Some psychological studies show that déjà vu can be caused by outlook, fatigue and stressful situations.
5. Sigmund Freud believed that déjà vu is associated with memories of our dreams.
6. In general, the number of times a person experiences déjà vu increases after age 25.
7. Some studies show that the effect of déjà vu is directly correlated with dopamine levels in the brain. This also explains why young people are more likely to experience déjà vu
8. Déjà vu may simply be a consequence of your brain's inability to create memories correctly, where a memory is created twice.
9. Research shows that two-thirds of adults have experienced déjà vu at least once in their lives.
10. Travelers experience déjà vu more often than those who do not travel. This is likely because travelers see more noteworthy and memorable places
The déjà vu phenomenon was first described in the late 1800s. But it took almost a century to find a definition suitable for the research purposes of this phenomenon.
In medical circles, déjà vu is most often perceived as a symptom of temporal lobe epilepsy or schizophrenia. Both of these conditions are associated with the phenomenon of repetitive actions and intense feelings. However, déjà vu is also commonly experienced by people without psychiatric or medical conditions. It is estimated that two out of three people claim to have experienced déjà vu at some point in their lives. This proves the fact that déjà vu syndrome has not yet been studied. However, scientists have identified several facts about the phenomenon of déjà vu.
1. The term “déjà vu” translated from French means “already seen.”
3. Some people who experience déjà vu say that they saw what was happening in a dream.
4. Deja vu most often occurs during periods of stress or extreme fatigue.
6. Déjà vu can be artificially recreated by electrical stimulation of the cortex and deeper structures of the brain.
7. More educated and highly intelligent people are more likely to experience déjà vu.
8. Some scientists associate déjà vu directly with human experiences: our brain, under severe stress, tries to “record” the necessary information, but this happens incorrectly.
9. Theorists have expressed the opinion that déjà vu is an experience that we acquire in a dream while our soul wanders through other Universes.
10. The opposite of deja vu is jamevu, translated as “never seen.” Jamevu is a phenomenon in which banal things can seem unfamiliar. This phenomenon is less common than déjà vu.
11. People often confuse déjà vu with a “sixth sense” when they project the possible consequences of future events onto the subconscious.
12. People who love to travel experience déjà vu more often than those who prefer to stay at home. This is probably due to the most colorful events occurring in the lives of travelers.
13. Psychoanalysts perceive déjà vu syndrome as a fantasy or wish fulfillment of the patient.
14. Parapsychologists believe that déjà vu has more in common with a person’s past life. When you experience déjà vu, it may be a memory talking about your former self.
15. One possible description of déjà vu is “divided perception.” This happens when you only glance at an object before taking a good look at it.
Researchers have yet to solve the mystery of the déjà vu phenomenon. The limited amount of research conducted on the topic of "already seen" is associated with biases, unclear manifestations, and general ambivalence. Déjà vu has been compared to paranormal phenomena such as out-of-body movements and psychokinesis. What do you think?