Event Title

Personality and Attitude Measures: The Differences (and Lack Thereof) Between Marijuana Users, Psychedelic Users and Abstainers

Presenter Information

Rachel D. Hanson, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU 202

Start Date

22-4-2008 8:30 AM

End Date

22-4-2008 10:30 AM

Student's Major

Psychology

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Dawn N. Albertson

Mentor's Department

Psychology

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

Prior research indicates significant differences between drug users and abstainers on such things as personality and their attitudes and feelings toward drug use (Brook et al, 2001; Walton et al, 2004). In the current study, participants were surveyed regarding their drug use history and general beliefs, feelings, and thoughts toward the use of psychedelics. A short form of the Big 5 personality inventory was also used to measure subjects' levels of extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability and openness. Of the 120 students surveyed, 38% of participants had used marijuana and 20% reported having used other psychedelic drugs (poly-psychedelic users) including one or more of the following: Salvia, mushrooms, LSD, ketamine, ayahuasca and peyote. Significant differences were seen in both the personality and attitudes of all groups tested. The findings indicate that individuals who only use marijuana are much more similar in personality and attitudes to non-psychedelic users than they are to their poly-psychedelic counterparts. Detailed results and study implications will be discussed.