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 Concept Videos

Hallucinogens and Psychedelics01:27

Hallucinogens and Psychedelics

723
Hallucinogens are psychoactive substances that profoundly alter perceptual experiences, generating unreal visual and sensory images. Often referred to as psychedelic drugs — a term derived from the Greek words "psyche" (mind) and "delos" (revealing) — these substances include marijuana and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), among others. These drugs vary in intensity and effects.
Marijuana, derived from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant, contains...
723
CNS Stimulants: Psychedelic Agents01:22

CNS Stimulants: Psychedelic Agents

814
Hallucinogens, also known as psychedelic drugs, are a class of substances known for their ability to alter perception, cognition, and emotions. Despite their profound effects on the mind, these drugs are non-addictive, setting them apart from many other abused substances. The mechanism of action of these drugs lies in their impact on the 5-HT2A receptor in the brain. Upon activation, this receptor couples to Gq-type G proteins, triggering a cascade that releases intracellular calcium. This...
814
Understanding Consciousness01:23

Understanding Consciousness

2.1K
Consciousness can be defined as the state of being aware of and able to think about one's existence, sensations, and surroundings. It encompasses two major components: awareness and arousal. Awareness pertains to the recognition of environmental stimuli and internal states. At the same time, arousal refers to the physiological readiness to engage with these stimuli, which varies significantly between states like sleep and wakefulness.
Sleep, a crucial state, is characterized by reduced...
2.1K
Empathy02:34

Empathy

10.1K
Some researchers suggest that altruism operates on empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s perspective, to feel what he or she feels. An empathetic person makes an emotional connection with others and feels compelled to help (Batson, 1991). Empathy can be expressed in several ways, including cognitive, affective, and motor. 
10.1K
Attitudes01:54

Attitudes

33.2K
Attitude is our evaluation of a person, an idea, or an object. We have attitudes for many things ranging from products that we might pick up in the supermarket to people around the world to political policies. Typically, attitudes are favorable or unfavorable: positive or negative (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993). And, they have three components: an affective component (feelings), a behavioral component (the effect of the attitude on behavior), and a cognitive component (belief and knowledge;...
33.2K
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping02:05

Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

44.8K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
44.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Micro-phenomenology of immersion and perceived presences under DMT.

Neuroscience of consciousness·2026
Same author

Psilocybin therapy for adult females with anorexia nervosa: pilot study.

The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science·2026
Same author

Modeled Long-Term Effects of Psilocybin on Dynamic Activity and Effective Connectivity of Fronto-Striatal-Thalamic Circuits.

Human brain mapping·2026
Same author

Keeping it real: Language models implement algorithms to solve linguistic tasks.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same author

Clinical improvement following an integrative iboga microdosing protocol in post-concussive and hypoxic brain injury syndromes: a case series.

Frontiers in pharmacology·2026
Same author

The entropic brain today.

Brain : a journal of neurology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Combining Behavior and EEG to Study the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Episodic Memory
08:16

Combining Behavior and EEG to Study the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Episodic Memory

Published on: May 11, 2020

9.0K

Psychedelics, Meditation, and Self-Consciousness.

Raphaël Millière1, Robin L Carhart-Harris2, Leor Roseman2

  • 1Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Frontiers in Psychology
|September 25, 2018
PubMed
Summary

Meditation and psychedelic drugs can alter self-consciousness, but these states are complex and varied. Research explores their overlapping effects on self-experience and potential long-term impacts, cautioning against equating temporary self-loss with lasting traits.

Keywords:
autobiographical memorybodily self-consciousnessconsciousnessmeditationmental time travelmind wanderingpsychedelicsself-consciousness

More Related Videos

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome
08:31

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome

Published on: July 31, 2016

14.5K
SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients
11:05

SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients

Published on: February 6, 2021

16.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Combining Behavior and EEG to Study the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Episodic Memory
08:16

Combining Behavior and EEG to Study the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Episodic Memory

Published on: May 11, 2020

9.0K
Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome
08:31

Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome

Published on: July 31, 2016

14.5K
SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients
11:05

SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients

Published on: February 6, 2021

16.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Recent advancements in cognitive neuroscience and psychedelic research illuminate altered states of consciousness.
  • Meditation and psychedelics, particularly psilocybin and LSD, show overlapping phenomenological and neurophysiological effects.
  • Classical psychedelics primarily act via serotonin receptor agonism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare and contrast the phenomenological and neurophysiological aspects of meditation and psychedelic-induced altered states of consciousness.
  • To investigate alterations in self-experience, including ego dissolution, across both practices.
  • To propose a multidimensional model of self-consciousness and self-loss.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature on meditation and psychedelic research.
  • Analysis of phenomenological data describing subjective experiences.
  • Examination of neuroanatomical and neurophysiological findings.

Main Results:

  • Both meditation and psychedelics can disrupt self-consciousness and associated neural processes.
  • Neither meditation nor psychedelic states are uniform; significant phenomenological differences exist, even within 'self-loss' experiences.
  • Self-consciousness is multidimensional, with narrative, temporal, and embodied aspects differentially affected.

Conclusions:

  • Self-loss induced by meditation or psychedelics can manifest in various forms, challenging a singular definition.
  • Long-term effects on traits and prosocial behavior warrant further investigation.
  • Caution is advised against conflating temporary self-loss states with enduring 'selflessness' traits.