Big Five personality and the psychedelic experience: An initial report

Most people who have had a psychedelic experience rank it among the most meaningful events in their lives, and personality traits shape how the experience unfolds. In a survey of 400 experienced users, those higher in openness reported more mystical and positive aspects, while those higher in neuroticism reported more challenging and negative aspects. The findings suggest that individual differences in personality influence both the quality and lasting impact of psychedelic experiences, and future research should measure and control for these traits.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract A surge in societal and scientific discussion surrounds psychedelic research. One surprising fact keeps standing out: Many users report the psychedelic experience as a positive and lasting impact on their quality of life. The present study aimed to explore the quality and consequences of the most impacting psychedelic experience, with the user's Big Five personality in focus. This experienced sample ( N = 400) rated how challenging and mystical the experience was and the extent of positive and negative lasting life effects, together with the Big Five (IPIP-NEO-30). Interestingly, the results showed that most ranked it as among the most meaningful experiences in life, and that personality trait openness related to enhanced mystical and positive experiences, while neuroticism related to increased challenging and negative reports. We discuss limitations like the self-selected sample and the use of brief instruments. We conclude and recommend that individual differences in personality deserve continued consideration and should be measured and controlled for in future studies.