Neurophenomenology in the second decade of the 21st century: a systematic review
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Abstract
Neurophenomenology has established itself as an interdisciplinary research program, aimed at integrating first-person experience with findings from empirical studies of nervous system activity. Objective: To analyze recent empirical evidence in neurophenomenology, identifying the main lines of research, the methodologies used and the emerging trends in the integration between phenomenology, neuroscience and consciousness. Methodology: The review was developed following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The inclusion criteria included empirical studies published between 2021 and 2026, which integrated first-person experiential reports with measurements. The source of information was the Web of Science (WoS) database, consulted between January 1 and February 20, 2026 using the descriptor "Neurophenomenology". We assessed risk of bias using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The results were synthesized through a structured narrative synthesis. Results: The search yielded 443 records, of which 166 met the temporal criterion. 128 studies were assessed for eligibility and 15 met the inclusion criteria. The findings revealed that emerging lines of research focus on meditation and self-awareness; mind wandering, empathy and social cognition; hypnosis and pain; as well as psychopathology of the self and altered states of consciousness, integrating qualitative and quantitative techniques. Discussion: Although the field continues with a remarkable methodological heterogeneity, there is a growing empirical consolidation of neurophenomenology as a research framework that articulates first-person lived experience and neural activity in the study of consciousness.
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