The experience of altered states of consciousness in shamanic ritual: the role of pre-existing beliefs and affective factors.
Vince Polito, Robyn Langdon, Jac Brown
Consciousness and Cognition December 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2010.05.013 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 55 |
| Population | Participants in a sweat lodge ceremony |
| Intervention | sweat lodge ceremony |
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Shamanism |
| Citations | 31 |
| Key findings | Paranormal beliefs compatible with shamanic mythology and difficulty identifying feelings were associated with higher scores on positive dimensions of altered states of consciousness. |
Abstract
Much attention has been paid recently to the role of anomalous experiences in the aetiology of certain types of psychopathology, e.g. in the formation of delusions. We examine, instead, the top-down influence of pre-existing beliefs and affective factors in shaping an individual's characterisation of anomalous sensory experiences. Specifically we investigated the effects of paranormal beliefs and alexithymia in determining the intensity and quality of an altered state of consciousness (ASC). Fifty five participants took part in a sweat lodge ceremony, a traditional shamanic ritual which was unfamiliar to them. Participants reported significant alterations in their state of consciousness, quantified using the 'APZ' questionnaire, a standardized measure of ASC experience. Participants endorsing paranormal beliefs compatible with shamanic mythology, and those showing difficulty identifying feelings scored higher on positive dimensions of ASC experience. Our findings demonstrate that variation in an individual's characterisation of anomalous experiences is nuanced by pre-existing beliefs and affective factors.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca Tourism: Participants in Shamanic Rituals and their Personality Styles, Motivation, Benefits and Risks Foreigners who traveled to South America to use ayahuasca | 2015 | Observational study | n = 77 |
| Examining changes in personality following shamanic ceremonial use of ayahuasca. Participants from three ayahuasca healing and spiritual centers in South and Central... | 2021 | Observational cohort | n = 256 |
| New mescaline concentrations from 14 taxa/cultivars of Echinopsis spp. (Cactaceae) (“San Pedro”) and their relevance to shamanic practice 14 taxa/cultivars of Echinopsis (Cactaceae) subgenus Trichocereus | 2010 | Observational study | n = 14 |
| Neural Correlates of the Shamanic State of Consciousness Shamanic practitioners and healthy controls | 2021 | Observational cohort | n = 48 |
| Long-term outcomes of shamanic treatment for temporomandibular joint disorders. Women aged 25 to 55 diagnosed with TMD | 2012 | Phase I feasibility and efficacy study with longitudinal follow-up | n = 23 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 17
- The Mechanisms of Psychedelic Visionary Experiences: Hypotheses from Evolutionary Psychology Frontiers in Neuroscience September 28, 2017
- Rhythmic Chanting and Mystical States across Traditions. Brain Sciences January 13, 2021
- The Altered States Database: Psychometric data from a systematic literature review. Scientific Data November 23, 2022
- A novel ego dissolution scale: A construct validation study. Consciousness and Cognition March 1, 2023
- Scoping review on shamanistic trances practices. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies November 4, 2024
and 12 more in the library
Cites 20
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- The Standardized Psychometric Assessment of Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) in Humans Pharmacopsychiatry July 1, 1998
- Psychobiology of Altered States of Consciousness. Psychological Bulletin 2005
- Serotonin research: contributions to understanding psychoses TIPS - Trends in Pharmacological Sciences August 1, 2008
- From drugs to deprivation: a Bayesian framework for understanding models of psychosis Psychopharmacology May 27, 2009
and 15 more in the library