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Cited by 62Psychedelics and Drug StudiesPersonality Traits and PsychologyParanormal Experiences and Beliefs

Broadening your mind to include others: the relationship between serotonergic psychedelic experiences and maladaptive narcissism.

van Mulukom, Valerie, Patterson, Ruairi E., van Elk, Michiel·2020·Psychopharmacology
DOI 10.1007/s00213-020-05568-y
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Abstract

Rationale Recent research has shown that classical serotonergic psychedelic (CSP) drugs may be used to ameliorate certain health issues and disorders. Here we hypothesised that CSP experiences, through their ability to induce awe and ego-dissolution, may result in a reduction of maladaptive narcissistic personality traits, such as a strong sense of entitlement and lack of empathy.Objectives Our objective was to investigate whether high levels of awe and ego dissolution during recent CSP experiences are associated with currently lower levels of maladaptive narcissism.Methods In this pre-registered high-powered (N = 414) study, we used an online retrospective survey asking participants to describe their 'most awe-inspiring, impressive, significant, or emotionally intense experience', as well as several validated scales to test our hypothesis.Results A statistically significant mediation model indicated that recent CSP-induced experiences were associated with currently increased feelings of connectedness and affective empathetic drive, which in turn were associated with decreased exploitative-entitled narcissism. This relationship held even when taking into account sensation-seeking personality features. We found no evidence for feelings of ego dissolution to have the same effect.Conclusions Feelings of awe, but not ego dissolution, during recent CSP experiences were associated with increased feelings of connectedness and empathy, which in turn were associated with decreased levels of maladaptive narcissism personality features. This suggests that CSPs hold therapeutic potential for disorders involving connectedness and empathy, such as the treatment of pathological narcissism, and that the induction of connectedness through awe appears to be the driving force behind this potential.

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  • Classical serotonergic psychedelic (CSP) drugs, thanks to induction awe and ego dissolution, may reduce maladaptive NPD traits, such as a strong sense of entitlement and lack of empathy.

    “van Mulukom et al. (68) showed that classical serotonergic psychedelic (CSP) drugs, thanks to induction awe and ego dissolution, may reduce of maladaptive NPD traits, such as a strong sense of entitlement and lack of empathy.”

    From The dark side of empathy in narcissistic personality disorder (2023) · cites this paper as [68]

    The Rationale (p. 3) proposes that CSP experiences may reduce maladaptive narcissistic traits through awe and ego dissolution. But the Conclusions (p. 3) report an association for awe, not ego dissolution, and the Discussion (p. 20) describes a cross-sectional study of personality traits rather than a demonstration that CSPs reduce clinical NPD traits. (LLM, conf=0.91)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The experience of ego-dissolution and lowered focus on the self, as induced by psychedelic drugs, appears antagonistic to the self-focus and self-importance that is characteristic of high trait narcissism.

    “The experience of ego-dissolution and lowered focus on the self, as induced by psychedelic drugs appear antagonistic to the self-focus and self-importance that is characteristic of high trait narcissism (68).”

    From The dark side of empathy in narcissistic personality disorder (2023) · cites this paper as [68]

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Bai Y, Maruskin LA, Chen S, Gordon AM, Stellar JE, McNeil GD, Keltner D (2017a) Awe, the diminished self, and collective engagement: Universals and cul- tural variations in the small self Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 113:185-209
  2. Pahnke WN (1963) Drugs and mysticism: An analysis of the relationship between psychedelic drugs and the mystical consciousness: A thesis. Harvard University

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Authors
van Mulukom, V., Patterson, R. E., & van Elk, M.
Affiliations
Coventry (United Kingdom) (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Psychopharmacology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2020-05-29
Volume
237
Issue
9
Pages
2725-2737
ISSN
  • 0033-3158 (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-2072
DOI
10.1007/s00213-020-05568-y
OpenAlex
W3029260735
Cited by
62
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 2
FWCI
2.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs
Keywords
maladaptive narcissism, awe, ego dissolution, connectedness, empathy, entitlement, sensation seeking, psychedelic therapy
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Emotions, Empathy, Female, Hallucinogens, Humans, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Male, Middle Aged, Narcissism, Psilocybin, Retrospective Studies, Thinking, Serotonin Receptor Agonists, Young Adult

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