Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

LSD and creativity.

O Janiger1, M Dobkin de Rios

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Irvine.

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
|January 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) significantly altered artistic creativity in a 1950s study. Artists experienced stylistic changes, producing work they found more interesting and aesthetically superior after LSD ingestion.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Commentary. On "Human pharmacology of hoasca": a medical anthropology perspective.

The Journal of nervous and mental disease·1996
Same author

Pain relief for the Hispanic burn patient using cultural metaphors.

Plastic and reconstructive surgery·1991
Same author

Shamanism and altered states of consciousness: an introduction.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·1989
Same author

Psychoactive properties of !Kung Bushmen medicine plants.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·1989
Same author

A modern-day shamanistic healer in the Peruvian Amazon: pharmacopoeia and trance.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·1989
Same author

Hypnotherapy with Hispanic burn patients.

The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis·1987
Same journal

Mystical Experiences as Catalysts in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Case Study.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·2026
Same journal

Cannabis-Induced Persistent Perceptual Disturbances: A Clinical Characterization Study of Multimodal Sensory Symptoms in 13 Patients.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·2026
Same journal

Specialist Inpatient Detoxification from Gabapentinoids: Clinical and Demographic Characteristics and Predictors of Outcome.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·2026
Same journal

Urine Prevalence of Psychoactive Substances, Nicotine Exposure and Associated Factors Among Commercial Drivers. An Exploratory Study.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·2026
Same journal

Latent Clusters of Peer Behaviors in Childhood and Relevance for Understanding Substance Use in Early Adolescence.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·2026
Same journal

Psychedelic Use, Microdosing, Motives, and Information and Product Sources Among Young Adults in the United States.

Journal of psychoactive drugs·2026
See all related articles

Area of Science:

  • Psychopharmacology
  • Art History
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • The late 1950s saw unique investigations into the effects of psychoactive substances on human cognition.
  • Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a potent psychedelic compound known for its profound effects on perception and consciousness.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the impact of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on artistic creativity.
  • To document and analyze changes in artistic style and expression following LSD administration.

Main Methods:

  • An experiment involving artists creating artwork (drawing and painting a Kachina doll) before and after LSD ingestion.
  • Artistic productions were evaluated by an art historian to identify changes in style and aesthetic qualities.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Significant stylistic shifts were observed, moving from representational/abstract to more expressionistic/nonobjective forms.
  • Key changes included altered size, movement, figure/ground relationships, color intensity, simplification, symbolic depiction, and fragmentation.
  • Artists generally perceived their LSD-influenced work as more interesting and aesthetically superior.

Conclusions:

  • Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) can induce notable transformations in artistic expression and creativity.
  • The observed changes suggest LSD's potential to facilitate novel perspectives and aesthetic experiences in artists.