Psilocybin does not promote authority avoidance, according to a meta-analysis of three studies

Many people from the hippie era believe that the use of psychedelics can undermine authority. This stems from the idea that psychedelics make people more aware of government oppression. However, a new meta-analysis does not simply confirm this view. A a recent review using data from three different studies found, in fact, no significant change in authoritarian attitudes following the use of psychedelics.

The researchers looked at three very different groups: people who used psychedelics in a natural setting, healthy volunteers who were given psilocybin, and patients with depression taking part in a trial involving psilocybin or escitalopram. It is precisely because multiple research designs were included that the conclusion is particularly relevant: this study does not provide convincing support for the idea that psychedelics automatically lead to less authoritarian thinking.

This does not mean that psychedelics cannot influence a person’s world view, but it does mean that such effects are likely to be more complex, more personal and more context-dependent than is sometimes assumed. The authors therefore call for larger and more diverse follow-up studies, with greater attention paid to political and social outcomes.