Psychedelics, Personality and Political Perspectives

Apr 27, 2017Journal of psychoactive drugs

How Psychedelics Relate to Personality and Political Views

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Abstract

Lifetime psychedelic use is associated with positive predictions for liberal political views, openness, and nature relatedness in a sample of 893 participants.

Psychedelic use, but not cocaine or alcohol use, is linked to greater openness and nature relatedness.
Participants who reported higher levels of ego dissolution during their most intense psychedelic experience also showed more liberal political views.
Findings suggest a negative association between psychedelic use and authoritarian political views.
Further investigation is needed to explore the relationship between peak psychedelic experiences and attitudes towards new experiences and environmental concerns.

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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.

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Psychedelics, Personality and Political Perspectives

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