Altered states of consciousness, intuition, and the sensation of déjà vu
Liana Spytska
Psychiatria i Psychologia Kliniczna October 29, 2026 DOI: 10.15557/pipk.2026.0036 (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 | Argues that three types of intuition—"intuition-guesswork", "intuition that reveals something new", and "fundamental intuition"—each significantly shape the psychological foundation of decision-making. Proposes that déjà vu, an emotionally charged impression, results from incorrect reconstruction of events in memory. |
Abstract
Introduction and
Objective: Altered states of consciousness, intuition, and the sensation of déjà vu reveal various aspects and possibilities of human consciousness. Studying these phenomena is relevant today, as it helps understand how the human mental system operates, what processes occur in the brain, and how they affect the perception of reality. The purpose of this study is to examine the occurrence, mechanisms, and impact of altered states of consciousness, intuition, and déjà vu on human experience.
Materials and Methods: The article adopts an interdisciplinary theoretical and analytical approach, drawing on data from psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, and philosophy. It reviews current research and uses conceptual generalisation to analyse the mechanisms underlying altered states of consciousness, intuition, and the phenomenon of déjà vu.
Results: The study carefully analyses and highlights the features of several types of intuition that determine human decision-making. In particular, “intuition-guesswork”, “intuition that reveals something new”, and “fundamental intuition” were examined, and each was found to play a significant role in forming the psychological foundation for the decision-making process. According to the results of the analysis, this emotionally charged impression occurs due to incorrect reconstruction of events in memory.
Conclusions: The study findings can be used in various fields, such as psychology, medicine, education, and the arts. In particular, they can be useful for improving teaching methods, treating mental disorders, or developing creative potential.
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
Cites 3
- Effective connectivity changes in LSD-induced altered states of consciousness in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 28, 2019
- Neural Correlates of Contents and Levels of Consciousness Frontiers in Psychology 2010
- Whole-Brain Models to Explore Altered States of Consciousness from the Bottom Up MDPI (MDPI AG) September 10, 2020