Psychedelic Experiences Increase Mind Perception but do not Change Atheist-Believer Status: A Prospective Longitudinal Study
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs May 7, 2024 Sandeep M Nayak, Sydney H White, Samantha N Hilbert et al. 18 citations
A prospective longitudinal study of 657 people planning a psilocybin experience outside a laboratory found that after the experience, participants reported increased perception of minds in various living and non-living entities such as plants and rocks, replicating earlier findings. However, the study found little to no change in participants' metaphysical beliefs, such as dualism, or in their self-reported Atheist-Believer status. These results contrast with cross-sectional studies suggesting psilocybin experiences alter Atheist-Believer status and non-naturalistic beliefs, but they support the relevance of mind perception and mentalization processes.