Flicker light stimulation (FLS), a non-pharmacological method that induces altered states of consciousness (ASCs) and hallucination-like phenomena, can enhance emotional responses to music. In a study with twenty participants, listening to emotionally evocative music while undergoing FLS significantly increased reported music-evoked emotion, particularly emotions related to “Joyful Activation.” The intensity of the FLS experience correlated with higher levels of emotional arousal. These results suggest that FLS may serve as a method for inducing ASCs and that visual stimulation can interact with music-evoked emotion, paralleling effects seen with classic psychedelics like LSD.
Exposure to rapid and bright stroboscopic light can induce vivid visual hallucinations of color and geometric forms, a phenomenon first documented by Purkinje over 200 years ago. Despite centuries of scientific, therapeutic, and cultural interest, fundamental questions remain about its phenomenology, physiological origins, and potential clinical applications. This narrative review summarizes the historical research on stroboscopic light stimulation, its use in recreational and lay-therapeutic settings, and discusses the phenomenology of these experiences. It also examines current perspectives on the neural mechanisms that may underlie stroboscopically induced experiences and outlines directions for future research.