title: The Associations of Naturalistic Classic Psychedelic Use, Mystical Experience, and Creative Problem Solving.
abstract: Developing methods for improving creativity is of broad interest. Classic psychedelics may enhance creativity; however, the underlying mechanisms of action are unknown. This study was designed to assess whether a relationship exists between naturalistic classic psychedelic use and heightened creative problem-solving ability and if so, whether this is mediated by lifetime mystical experience. Participants (N = 68) completed a survey battery assessing lifetime mystical experience and circumstances surrounding the most memorable experience. They were then administered a functional fixedness task in which faster completion times indicate greater creative problem-solving ability. Participants reporting classic psychedelic use concurrent with mystical experience (n = 11) exhibited significantly faster times on the functional fixedness task (Cohen's d = -.87; large effect) and significantly greater lifetime mystical experience (Cohen's d = .93; large effect) than participants not reporting classic psychedelic use concurrent with mystical experience. However, lifetime mystical experience was unrelated to completion times on the functional fixedness task (standardized β = -.06), and was therefore not a significant mediator. Classic psychedelic use may increase creativity independent of its effects on mystical experience. Maximizing the likelihood of mystical experience may need not be a goal of psychedelic interventions designed to boost creativity.
authors.affiliation: a Program Coordinator II, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health , University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham , AL , USA.
authors.forename: Noah W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Sweat
authors.affiliation: b Professor, Department of Psychology , University of North Alabama , Florence , AL , USA.
authors.forename: Larry W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.affiliation: c Associate Professor, Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health , University of Alabama at Birmingham , Birmingham , AL , USA.
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Hendricks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003405:Creativity; D005260:Female; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009228:Mysticism / Q000523:psychology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000187:drug effects*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens
keywords: Creativity; hallucinogen; mystical experience; problem solving; psilocybin; psychedelic