Effects of psilocybin microdosing on awe and aesthetic experiences: a preregistered field and lab-based study
Michiel van Elk, George Fejer, Pascal Lempe, Luisa Prochazckova, Martin Kuchař, Kateřina Hájková, Josephine Marschall
Psychopharmacology April 30, 2021 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05857-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preregistered combined field- and lab-based crossover study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants in a microdosing workshop |
| Intervention | Psilocybin microdose |
| Duration | Three-week intervention per condition, with a two-week washout between conditions |
| Topics | Psilocybin Microdosing |
| Keywords | Expectancy theory Hallucinogen Placebo Perception |
| Citations | 53 |
| Key points | Participants felt more awe in response to videos of funny animals and moving objects when microdosing psilocybin compared to placebo, but expectancy effects likely drove the results because most participants broke blind. |
Abstract
Abstract There is an increased societal trend to engage in microdosing, in which small sub-hallucinogenic amounts of psychedelics are consumed on a regular basis. Following subjective reports that microdosing enhances the experience of nature and art, in the present study we set out to study the effects of psilocybin microdosing on feelings of awe and art perception. In this preregistered combined field- and lab-based study, participants took part in a microdosing workshop after which they volunteered to self-administer a psilocybin microdose or a placebo for three consecutive weeks, while the condition was kept blind to the participants and researchers. Following a 2-week break, the condition assignment was reversed. During each block, participants visited the lab twice to measure the effects of psilocybin microdosing vs. placebo. We used standardized measures of awe, in which participants reported their experiences in response to short videos or when viewing abstract artworks from different painters. Our confirmatory analyses showed that participants felt more awe in response to videos representing funny animals and moving objects in the microdosing compared to the placebo condition. However, about two-third of our participants were breaking blind to their experimental condition. Our exploratory findings suggest that expectancy-effects may be a driving factor underlying the subjective benefits of microdosing.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Participants felt more awe in response to videos when microdosing psilocybin compared to placebo, but about two-thirds broke blind, suggesting expectancy effects may drive subjective benefits.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on psilocybin and microdosing, most cited first.