Mindfulness
August 5, 2026
Brendan T. Hutchinson, Joanna Kuczynska, Julia Uddén et al.
Abstract Objectives Trait mindfulness—one’s disposition toward non-judgmental awareness of present-moment experience—has been associated with various affective and cognitive outcomes. One proposed mechanism is that this kind of mindfulness attenuates the tendency to become attached to some experiences and avoid others. In line with this, a previous study reported that trait mindfulness reduced...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
February 2, 2026
Brendan Hutchinson, Stanislas Dehaene, Heleen A Slagter et al.
preprint
Abstract One of the most widely recognised neural correlates of consciousness, the P3b, has been challenged in recent years as a neural signal linked to conscious processing, due to its absence in no-report paradigms. Here, we test whether, even in the absence of a P3b, a period of late metastable brain activity may provide a more general signature of conscious access to perceptual information....
Brain and Behavior
July 1, 2025
Hugh McGovern, L Bajo, G Hassed et al.
1 citation
The phenomenology of psychedelic experiences has been a long-standing point of interest to researchers. However, internal experience has been relatively relegated, with much work done on the clinical outcomes of psychedelic therapies. Our reflexive thematic analysis revealed that structurally, people on fora write about their experiences sequentially, considering factors prior to (preparatory),...
Commun Psychol
August 1, 2024
Hugh McGovern, Hilary J Grimmer, Manoj K. Doss et al.
48 citations
Psychedelics are recognised for their potential to re-orient beliefs. We propose a model of how psychedelics can, in some cases, lead to false insights and thus false beliefs. We first review experimental work on laboratory-based false insights and false memories. We then connect this to insights and belief formation under psychedelics using the active inference framework. We propose that...
May 26, 2024
Hugh McGovern, Nick Wellman, Brendan Hutchinson et al.
2 citations
preprint
Psychedelics (hallucinogenic 5-HT2A agonists such as psilocybin) are gaining recognition for their potential to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety-related psychopathology. Despite early promising results, the mechanisms by which psychedelic therapy alleviates anxiety are not well understood. Here, we review neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying anxiety-related psychopathology...
September 15, 2021
Hugh McGovern, Pantelis Leptourgos, Brendan Hutchinson et al.
4 citations
preprint
Renewed interest in psychedelics has reignited the debate about whether and how they change human beliefs. In both the clinical and social-cognitive domains, psychedelic consumption may be accompanied by profound, and sometimes lasting, belief changes. We review these changes and their possible underlying mechanisms. Rather than inducing de novo beliefs, we argue psychedelics may instead change...