Effects of classical psychedelics on implicit and explicit emotional empathy and cognitive empathy: a meta-analysis of MET task

Classic psychedelic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca enhance emotional empathy—both explicit and implicit—but do not affect cognitive empathy, according to a meta-analysis of studies up to November 2023. Empathy, the ability to understand and share others' feelings, is crucial for social interaction. The analysis used the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET) to measure these effects. The findings suggest a specific role for psychedelics in boosting emotional empathy, highlighting their potential therapeutic value for conditions involving social functioning.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This meta-analysis investigates the effect of classic psychedelic drugs on empathy and focuses on cognitive and emotional empathy measured using the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET). Empathy entails the ability to understand and share the feelings of another and is a significant component of social interaction. Several studies have examined the effects of psychedelic drugs such as LSD, psilocybin and ayahuasca on empathy, yet their overall effect has not been studied so far. In this meta-analysis, we reviewed data from studies up to November 2023 with the aim of examining the effects of various psychedelic drugs on empathic abilities broadly. Our findings suggest that classical psychedelics significantly enhance explicit and implicit emotional empathy without affecting measures of cognitive empathy. The results emphasize the need to continue testing the therapeutic potential of classic psychedelic drugs.