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Derangement of the senses or alternate epistemological pathways? Altered consciousness and enhanced functioning

Cardeña, Etzel LU orcid (2020) In Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice 7(3). p.242-261
Abstract

This article summarizes and integrates research on the relation between altered consciousness (including states and traits, as well as procedures and practices to induce them) and enhanced functioning. The latter include improved psychophysiological control as well as enhanced performance in controlled parapsychological experiments. Multiple studies on meditation, hypnosis, sensory homogenization, psychoactive drug ingestion, and spontaneous alterations of consciousness have demonstrated enhanced physiological (e.g., gastrointestinal and other somatic systems, heart rate and bleeding control, ability to withstand cold temperature and painful stimuli) and psychological (e.g., perceptual sensitivity, attention control and cognitive... (More)

This article summarizes and integrates research on the relation between altered consciousness (including states and traits, as well as procedures and practices to induce them) and enhanced functioning. The latter include improved psychophysiological control as well as enhanced performance in controlled parapsychological experiments. Multiple studies on meditation, hypnosis, sensory homogenization, psychoactive drug ingestion, and spontaneous alterations of consciousness have demonstrated enhanced physiological (e.g., gastrointestinal and other somatic systems, heart rate and bleeding control, ability to withstand cold temperature and painful stimuli) and psychological (e.g., perceptual sensitivity, attention control and cognitive deautomatization, creativity, enhanced positive affect and personality change) functioning. Parapsychological (psi) research also indicates that when individuals are exposed to techniques to alter the state of consciousness such as sensory homogenization, meditation, hypnosis, and psychedelic drugs, they exhibit stronger evidence of psi functioning than when they are in ordinary waking consciousness, particularly if they are prone to having spontaneous alterations of consciousness and/or have had a mental practice for a long time. Recommendations for further development of research in this area are provided.

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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Altered states of consciousness, Hypnosis, Meditation, Parapsychology, Restricted environmental stimulation
in
Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice
volume
7
issue
3
pages
20 pages
publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85057344548
ISSN
2326-5523
DOI
10.1037/cns0000175
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
154608e8-aba0-45a5-b0d1-505129ff187a
date added to LUP
2021-01-08 13:42:10
date last changed
2022-04-26 23:13:50
@article{154608e8-aba0-45a5-b0d1-505129ff187a,
  abstract     = {{<p>This article summarizes and integrates research on the relation between altered consciousness (including states and traits, as well as procedures and practices to induce them) and enhanced functioning. The latter include improved psychophysiological control as well as enhanced performance in controlled parapsychological experiments. Multiple studies on meditation, hypnosis, sensory homogenization, psychoactive drug ingestion, and spontaneous alterations of consciousness have demonstrated enhanced physiological (e.g., gastrointestinal and other somatic systems, heart rate and bleeding control, ability to withstand cold temperature and painful stimuli) and psychological (e.g., perceptual sensitivity, attention control and cognitive deautomatization, creativity, enhanced positive affect and personality change) functioning. Parapsychological (psi) research also indicates that when individuals are exposed to techniques to alter the state of consciousness such as sensory homogenization, meditation, hypnosis, and psychedelic drugs, they exhibit stronger evidence of psi functioning than when they are in ordinary waking consciousness, particularly if they are prone to having spontaneous alterations of consciousness and/or have had a mental practice for a long time. Recommendations for further development of research in this area are provided.</p>}},
  author       = {{Cardeña, Etzel}},
  issn         = {{2326-5523}},
  keywords     = {{Altered states of consciousness; Hypnosis; Meditation; Parapsychology; Restricted environmental stimulation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{242--261}},
  publisher    = {{American Psychological Association (APA)}},
  series       = {{Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice}},
  title        = {{Derangement of the senses or alternate epistemological pathways? Altered consciousness and enhanced functioning}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cns0000175}},
  doi          = {{10.1037/cns0000175}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}