Skip to content

Experimental Study of Ostensibly Shamanic Journeying Imagery in Naïve Participants II: Phenomenological Mapping and Modified Affect Bridge

Adam J. Rock, Paul J. Casey Rock, Peter B. Baynes

Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2006 DOI: 10.1525/ac.2006.17.1.65 (opens in new tab)

Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 68
Population Naive participants
Intervention monotonous percussion drumming
Duration 15 minutes
Measures Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI), mental imagery checklist, Modified Affect Bridge
Topics Shamanism
Key findings The number of ostensibly shamanic journeying images differed significantly between conditions, but landscape-related images did not. No significant relationship was found between condition and autobiographical imagery. Significant differences appeared on PCI dimensions of fear, altered state of awareness, and arousal.

Abstract

This study develops the methodological framework advanced in Rock, Baynes, and Casey's (2005) experimental study of ostensibly shamanic journeying imagery in naïve participants. Specifically, the present study experimentally investigates the impact of the word landscape, featured in Harner's (1990) shamanic journeying to the Lower World instructions, on the number of landscape‐related images reported; examines the origins of ostensibly shamanic journeying images; and maps the phenomenological state effects of shamanic journeying to the Lower World. Sixtyeight naïve participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: either the original or a revised version of Harner's (1990) instructions coupled with monotonous percussion drumming at 8 beats‐per‐second for 15 minutes, or sitting quietly with eyes open for 15 minutes. Each participant's subjective experience was retrospectively assessed using the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) (Pekala 1991) and a mental imagery checklist. Subsequently, participants were administered the Modified Affect Bridge for the purpose of exploring the origins of mental imagery experienced during the experimental conditions. The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between conditions with regard to the number of ostensibly shamanic journeying images reported, but not between treatment conditions with regard to the number of landscaperelated images reported. There were no significant relationships between condition and mental imagery derived from autobiographical memories. There were statistically significant differences between conditions with regard to the PCI dimensions of fear, altered state of awareness, and arousal.

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
Shamanic Imagery and Ritual Experience: An Empirical Study of Emotions, Beliefs, and States of Consciousness Participants recruited for a shamanic ritual experiment 2025 Randomized controlled trial n = 30
Trait absorption, altered meaning, and mood disturbance during shamanic-like journeying: Moderator and indirect effects analyses Non-shamans 2009 Randomized controlled trial n = 61

Citations in the library

Cited by 6

and 1 more in the library

Cites 5

Related reading

Explore topics

Shamanism Altered states of consciousness Philosophy of mind