Psychedelics, attachment, and enculturation dynamics: Prospects and challenges

Attachment patterns and psychedelic use jointly influence worldview transformations and enculturation processes. Both may operate through common mechanisms: heightened epistemic trust at the psychological level and heightened serotonin 2a receptor-binding with associated hyper-plastic states at the neural level. The synthesis draws on attachment-religion research, anthropological studies of Ayahuasca use in shamanic tourism, and preliminary attachment-psychedelics research. Future research directions and ethical considerations for psychedelic-assisted therapies and cross-cultural research are outlined.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Background & aims This conceptual paper explores the intersection of attachment theory, psychedelic research, and enculturation dynamics. We aim to understand how both attachment patterns and psychedelic use may jointly influence worldview transformations and enculturation processes. Methods We synthesize theoretical perspectives and empirical findings from multiple fields, including attachment-religion research in the psychology of religion, anthropological research on Ayahuasca use in shamanic tourism contexts, and preliminary attachment-psychedelics research. Results Our synthesis suggests that both attachment and psychedelics play an interacting role in facilitating enculturation and worldview transformations. This may be due to common mechanisms, including heightened epistemic trust at the psychological level and heightened serotonin 2a receptor-binding and associated hyper-plastic states at the neural level. Conclusions We outline future research directions and emphasize the ethical considerations that arise from these findings, particularly in the design and implementation of psychedelic-assisted therapies and cross-cultural psychedelic research.