Digitally-Induced Altered States of Consciousness and Playful HCI: Future Research Agenda of a Novel Perspective
Anatolii Belousov, Terho Ojell-Järventausta, Mila Bujić, Joseph Macey, Juho Hamari
ACM SIGCHI Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play October 6, 2023 DOI: 10.1145/3573382.3616100 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness |
| Key points | Proposes that the emerging field of digitally-induced altered states (DIAL) requires a focused, holistic approach to anticipate societal impacts across multiple contexts. |
Abstract
Due to the increasing availability and efficiency of digital technologies humanity has reached a point where digitally altering consciousness might become ubiquitous, echoing in all areas of the functioning of society. In addition to the already familiar functions in terms of conveying information, enabling experiences, and extending our realities, there is an emerging field of digitally-induced altered states of consciousness (DIAL). Precursors of the societal impact of DIAL technologies include various examples from binaural beats to video games that provide invaluable insights into forthcoming DIAL technologies. Although individual changes in consciousness through digital means have been studied for decades, they have been limited to the reach of technology. We suggest the field DIAL denotes the class of all digital technologies exploited for inducing altered states of consciousness (ASC). It supports a focused and holistic approach to anticipating futures and astute actions. We highlight the need for a detailed and full-fledged examination by demonstrating existing and hypothetical examples of their impact on Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal (PESTEL) contexts. Based on these reflections we outline a potential research agenda to elicit discussions within the interdisciplinary community.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on altered states of consciousness, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altered States of Consciousness | 1966 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Functional neuroanatomy of altered states of consciousness: The transient hypofrontality hypothesis | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Psychedelic Mystical Experience in the Human Encounter with Death | 1969 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| A neurophenomenological approach to non-ordinary states of consciousness: hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Hypnotic phenomena and altered states of consciousness: a multilevel framework of description and explanation | 2003 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Mind-Altering Digital Technologies: A Scoping Review International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction July 10, 2026
- Immersive Virtual Reality Gameplay Alters Embodiment, Time Perception, and States of Consciousness Virtual Worlds June 25, 2026
- Sociotechnical Imaginaries of Digitally Altered Minds in 2050: Functions, Citizens, and Societal Tensions International Conference on Entertainment and Media in the Ubiquitous Era October 7, 2025
- A Typology for Identifying Digitally-Induced Altered States of Consciousness Through Input Discrepancy ACM International Conference Proceeding Series October 8, 2024
Cites 13
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- A Virtual Out-of-Body Experience Reduces Fear of Death PLoS One January 9, 2017
- My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? Frontiers in Psychology 2019
- Group VR experiences can produce ego attenuation and connectedness comparable to psychedelics Scientific Reports May 30, 2022
- Reality testing and the mnemonic induction of lucid dreams: Findings from the national Australian lucid dream induction study. Dreaming September 1, 2017
and 8 more in the library