The experience of altered states of consciousness in shamanic ritual: the role of pre-existing beliefs and affective factors.
Consciousness and cognition December 1, 2010 Vince Polito, Robyn Langdon, Jac Brown 31 citations
Pre-existing beliefs and emotional traits shape how people interpret unusual sensory experiences. In a study of 55 participants who took part in an unfamiliar shamanic sweat lodge ceremony, those who held paranormal beliefs aligned with shamanic mythology and those who had difficulty identifying their own feelings reported more positive aspects of the altered state of consciousness. The findings indicate that an individual's characterization of anomalous experiences is nuanced by their prior beliefs and affective factors.