Examining Volunteer Bias in Psychedelic Research.
Journal of psychoactive drugs October 8, 2025 Samantha G Gomez, Fiona Low, Mitch Earleywine
People who have used psychedelics are more willing to volunteer for psychedelic research studies, which may bias findings and limit generalizability. In a survey of 702 MTurk participants, psychedelic use predicted willingness to join unpaid surveys, longitudinal surveys, and an unpaid administration study. No demographic characteristics consistently predicted volunteering. Offering payment might help recruit a more diverse sample. Reaching individuals with less psychedelic experience is important for understanding clinical implications.