Both sides now: visual perspective switching in episodic future thought and its relationship to dissociation

Visual perspective in episodic memory and future thinking is conventionally treated as a one-dimensional construct, with first- and third-person perspectives at two poles of a continuum. However, given the opportunity, individuals often ascribe both of these perspectives to their imagery of a single event. In the present study, we found that "dual-perspective" imagery (involving switching between first- and third-person perspectives) is slightly more common than third-person imagery and is associated with higher self-reported ratings of centrality (importance in an individual's life story) and emotional intensity than other perspective categories. Moreover, dual-perspective imagery was correlated with dissociative experiences but unrelated to self-reported memory and prospection abilities. We suggest, based on other known correlates of dissociation (such as daydreaming and absorption), that switching between first- and third-person perspectives may be indicative of elaborative processing of and deeper engagement with imagined future events.