Learning from Boundlessness: Psychedelic induced awe and epistemic shifts towards a holistic worldview
Eirini K. Argyri, F C Fraser, Stefan Schilling, Oliver Robinson, Aline Frick, Leor Roseman, Celia J. A. Morgan
Research Square March 31, 2025 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6178373/v1 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAwe experienced during psychedelic trips is linked to lasting changes in how people perceive boundaries between themselves and the world, and to shifts in their ways of knowing. In a mixed-methods study of 90 participants, awe—especially its connectedness and vastness aspects—was significantly correlated with increased overlap between self and others. Thematic analysis of open-ended responses identified three clusters of epistemic change: dissolving societal and natural boundaries, expanding awareness and openness to complexity, and increasing prosociality, compassion, and acceptance of difference. The findings suggest that psychedelic-induced awe may help foster a more holistic worldview, with potential benefits for prosocial and ecological awareness.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Mixed-methods study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 90 |
| Population | Participants who had transformative psychedelic experiences |
| Keywords | Aesthetics Epistemology Psychology Sociology Art |
| Key finding | Awe during psychedelic trips, especially its connectedness and vastness components, was significantly correlated with increased self-other overlap and associated with three clusters of epistemic shift: dissolution of boundaries, expanded awareness, and increased prosociality. |
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelic substances are increasingly recognized for their potential to catalyse transformative shifts in worldviews. Central to these transformations are states of awe, a self-transcendent, epistemic emotion. This mixed-methods study explored how awe during psychedelic trips relates to lasting changes in boundaries between self and world, and epistemic shifts that follow transformative psychedelic experiences. Ninety participants completed the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S), Inclusion of Other in Self Scale (IOS), and open-ended questions exploring epistemic changes. Awe, particularly its connectedness and vastness components, was significantly correlated with increased self-other overlap. Thematic Network Analysis revealed three epistemic shifts clusters: (1) dissolution of societal and natural boundaries, (2) expanded awareness and openness to complexity, (3) increased prosociality, compassion and acceptance of difference. These findings suggest psychedelic-induced awe may facilitate cognitive accommodation towards a more holistic worldview. This study highlights the potential of psychedelic experiences to foster prosocial and ecologically aware worldviews through epistemic transformation.