Shamanic Imagery and Ritual Experience: An Empirical Study of Emotions, Beliefs, and States of Consciousness
Hang Sun, Eunyoung Kim
Religions July 11, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/rel16070893 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Participants recruited for a shamanic ritual experiment |
| Topics | Shamanism Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Consciousness Cognitive psychology Empirical research Mental image Epistemology Archaeology Cognition |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Participants exposed to shamanic symbolic imagery showed increased supernatural beliefs, reduced negative emotions, and greater changes in consciousness compared to controls. |
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the practical effects of symbolic imagery on shamanic religious rituals, emotional modulation, belief deepening, and alterations in the state of consciousness. Thirty participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group for comparative investigation. The results indicated that participants in the experimental group showed significant increases in supernatural belief scores after the ritual, along with notable decreases in negative emotions such as tension, anger, and fatigue. Additionally, the state of consciousness of both groups of participants changed significantly after the ceremony, and the changes in the experimental group were more significant. These findings provide preliminary empirical support for the hypothesis that shamanic symbolic imagery promotes the transformation of consciousness, and affects emotion regulation and belief formation by activating visual perception and symbolic psychological mechanisms. This study not only provides preliminary empirical evidence for the effectiveness of image-based interventions in inducing altered states of consciousness (ASC), but also deepens the understanding of the role of religious symbolic mechanisms in consciousness transformation and provides a new theoretical direction for applied research in the field of religious psychology and consciousness research.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ego Boundaries, Shamanic‐Like Techniques, and Subjective Experience: An Experimental Study Non-shamans | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 43 |
| Trait absorption, altered meaning, and mood disturbance during shamanic-like journeying: Moderator and indirect effects analyses Non-shamans | 2009 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 61 |
| Experimental Study of Ostensibly Shamanic Journeying Imagery in Naïve Participants II: Phenomenological Mapping and Modified Affect Bridge Naive participants | 2006 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 68 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 16
- Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) Frontiers in Human Neuroscience June 14, 2016
- Brain changes during a shamanic trance: Altered modes of consciousness, hemispheric laterality, and systemic psychobiology Cogent Psychology April 24, 2017
- The role of Indigenous knowledges in psychedelic science Journal of Psychedelic Studies December 13, 2019
- Altered states phenomena induced by visual flicker light stimulation PLoS One July 1, 2021
- The experience of altered states of consciousness in shamanic ritual: the role of pre-existing beliefs and affective factors. Consciousness and Cognition December 1, 2010
and 11 more in the library