Transformative agents of change and investigative neurotechnologies: A qualitative study of psychedelic technology identities
SSM - Qualitative Research in Health November 30, 2022 Michaela Barber, John Gardner, Adrian Carter 5 citations
Psychedelics research is growing rapidly but has faced setbacks from overenthusiasm, methodological challenges, and conflicting worldviews, rooted in the dual heritages of spiritualism and science. Through semi-structured interviews with Australian researchers, the authors explore how ontological conflicts play out in contemporary research, using the analytical frame of promissory technology identities. They identify two identities researchers invoke and negotiate: psychedelics as transformative agents of change and as investigational neurotechnologies. These identities reflect differing ontological heritages and may affect research design, interpretation, and translation. Researchers pragmatically deploy both identities to engage diverse stakeholders, though tensions exist, such as prioritizing clinical versus basic research.