Investigating self-transcendent positive emotions as a potential mechanism underlying the effects of meaningful psychedelic experiences on connectedness to nature.

Abstract

Previous research has identified a positive link between naturalistic psychedelic use and connectedness to nature, however the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear. Acute psychedelic effects (e.g. mystical experiences, ego-dissolution) have frequently been implicated in the long-term positive outcomes of psychedelics, including connectedness to nature (Nour et al., 2017; Kettner et al., 2019). Recently it has been suggested that self-transcendent positive emotions, as facilitators of social connectedness, might also facilitate connectedness to nature due to shared mechanisms involved in both (Moreton, 2018; Peterson et al., 2019). Psychedelics are known to elicit self-transcendent positive emotions and promote sociality. Indeed, it has been proposed that awe, a self-transcendent positive emotion commonly evoked by psychedelics, might underlie their beneficial effects more generally (Hendricks, 2018; Kettner et al., 2019). To date, there has been no research looking at self-transcendent positive emotions as a potential mechanism underlying the effects of psychedelics on connectedness to nature. In light of this, the present study aims to investigate self-transcendent positive emotions more broadly as a potential mediator of the relationship between acute psychedelic effects and connectedness to nature.

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