![\"Overview](\"https:\/\/yaabot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/yaabot_overview_2.jpg\")
<\/a>The term and concept was coined back in 1987 by Frank White, who explored the idea in his book The Overview Effect \u2014 Space Exploration and Human Evolution. The Overview Effect is essentially a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight, while viewing the Earth from orbit or from the lunar surface. Astronauts Rusty Schweikart, Edgar Mitchell, Tom Jones, Chris Hadfield and Mike Massimo are all reported to have experienced the effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This phenomenon also includes having feelings of transformation by what can be described as the magic that the experience brings. The ideas that can be rooted from the excerpts of those astronauts, who have experienced the overview effect, include unity, vastness, connectedness and perception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the words of astronaut Gene Cernan, \u201cI felt the world was just\u2026 there was too much purpose, too much logic. It was too beautiful to happen by accident. There has to be somebody bigger than you, and bigger than me, and I mean this in a spiritual sense, not a religious sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Psychological Aspect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Psychologists are particularly interested in astronauts who report experiencing The Overview Effect. They want to understand the effect for two reasons: Firstly, for the investigation of the implications of space flight as more and more space missions are being set up; secondly, for better comprehension of the sensation, in the hopes of reproducing the same euphoria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although psychologists believe that behavior is hard to modify, being able to see astronauts having that kind of deep and duplicate effect is something that highly interests them. Johannes Eichstaedt from the University of Pennsylvania says, “In the end, what we care about is how to induce these experiences\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Psychologists believe that reproducing this euphoric feeling may help people cope better, feel more connected and rethink the significance and volume of their troubles. The consequence? A solution to a wide range of psychological issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is also belief that psychology should be a significant part of future space missions, so as to maintain the astronauts’ well-being for prolonged missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Overview Effect & Our Brain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The \u201cOverview Effect\u201d, or acute awareness of all matter as synergistically connected, sounds somewhat similar to certain religious experiences described by Buddhist monks. It also resembles the effects shown by some psychedelic drugs. LSD, for example, is reported to cause ‘ego death’, and a ‘feeling of connection to the universe’. The Overview Effect tends to have a similar impact on the human mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andy Newberg, a neuroscientist\/physician with a background in space-medicine, is trying hard to understand the specifics of the overview effect. Is it a physiological effect? Is the brain altered when it occurs? How does it happen? These are some of the questions Newberg is attempting\u00a0to answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n