Psychedelics in problem-solving experiment
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Psychedelic agents in creative problem-solving experiment was a study designed to evaluate whether the use of a psychedelic substance with supportive setting can lead to improvement of performance in solving professional problems. The altered performance was measured by subjective reports, questionnaires, the obtained solutions for the professional problems and psychometric data using the Purdue Creativity, the Miller Object Visualization, and the Witkins Embedded Figures tests.[1] This experiment was a pilot study that was to be followed by control studies as part of exploratory studies on uses for psychedelic drugs, which were interrupted early in 1966 when the Food and Drug Administration declared a moratorium on research with human subjects, as a strategy in combating illicit use.[2]
Procedure
Some weeks before the actual experiment, a preliminary experiment was conducted. It consisted of two sessions with four participants in each. The groups worked on two problems chosen by the research personnel. The first group consisted of four people with professional experience in electrical engineering, engineering design, engineering management and psychology. They were given 50 micrograms of LSD. The second group consisted of four research engineers, three with a background in electronics and one in mechanics. They were given 100 milligrams of mescaline. Both groups were productive in ideation but, according to Fadiman, the fact that the participants didn't have actual personal stake in the outcome of the session negatively affected the actualization of the ideas. This is why the actual study focused on personal professional problems that the participants were highly motivated to tackle.[3]
Commonly observed characteristics of the psychedelic experience seemed to operate both for and against the hypothesis that the drug session could be used for performance enhancement. The research was therefore planned so as to attempt to provide a setting that would maximize improved functioning, while minimizing effects that might hinder effective functioning.[4]
See also
- Concord Prison Experiment
- Fundamental Fysiks Group
- Marsh Chapel Experiment
- What the Dormouse Said
- Nootropic
References
- ↑ Harman, W. W.; McKim, R. H.; Mogar, R. E.; Fadiman, J.; Stolaroff, M. J. (1966). "Psychedelic agents in creative problem-solving: A pilot study". Psychological Reports. 19 (1): 211–227. doi:10.2466/pr0.1966.19.1.211. PMID 5942087. Unknown parameter
|s2cid=ignored (help) - ↑ Tim Doody's article "The heretic" about doctor James Fadiman's experiments on psychedelics and creativity
- ↑ "The Psychedelic explorer's guide - Safe, Therapeutic and Sacred Journeys. Chapter 12: Group Problem-Solving Sessions" James Fadiman, Willis Harman 2011, pages 167-177.
- ↑ "The Psychedelic explorer's guide - Safe, Therapeutic and Sacred Journeys. Chapter 9: Breaktgrough Research: Selective Enhancement of Creative Capacaties" James Fadiman, Willis Harman 2011, pages 122. Table 9.1
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