Psychedelics, Personality and Political Perspectives

ABSTRACT

The psychedelic experience (including psychedelic-induced ego dissolution) can effect lasting change in a person’s attitudes and beliefs. Here, we aimed to investigate the association between naturalistic psychedelic use and personality, political perspectives, and nature relatedness using an anonymous internet survey. Participants (N = 893) provided information about their naturalistic psychedelic, cocaine, and alcohol use, and answered questions relating to personality traits of openness and conscientiousness (Ten-Item Personality Inventory), nature relatedness (Nature-Relatedness Scale), and political attitudes (one-item liberalism-conservatism measure and five-item libertarian-authoritarian measure). Participants also rated the degree of ego dissolution experienced during their “most intense” recalled psychedelic experience (Ego-Dissolution Inventory). Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that lifetime psychedelic use (but not lifetime cocaine use or weekly alcohol consumption) positively predicted liberal political views, openness and nature relatedness, and negatively predicted authoritarian political views, after accounting for potential confounding variables. Ego dissolution experienced during a participant’s “most intense” psychedelic experience positively predicted liberal political views, openness and nature relatedness, and negatively predicted authoritarian political views. Further work is needed to investigate the nature of the relationship between the peak psychedelic experience and openness to new experiences, egalitarian political views, and concern for the environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Conscientiousness
• ego dissolution
• liberalism
• nature relatedness
• openness
• psychedelic

Acknowledgments

MMN, LE, and RLC-H conceived of and designed this study and interpreted the results, contributed to drafting the work, and revised it critically for important intellectual content. All authors approved the final version of this manuscript to be published and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work be appropriately investigated and resolved. MMN undertook statistical analysis of the data. LE managed the implementation of the questionnaire and subsequent data collection. MMN wrote the article, with editing from RLC-H.

Funding

MMN is funded by the National Institute for Health Research, UK. RLC-H is funded by Mosley Foundation.

Additional information

Funding

MMN is funded by the National Institute for Health Research, UK. RLC-H is funded by Mosley Foundation.