Effects of classical psychedelics on implicit and explicit emotional empathy and cognitive empathy: a meta-analysis of MET task

This study compiled data from multiple research studies to understand how classical psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca affect empathy—the ability to understand and share others’ feelings. The findings show these substances significantly increase emotional empathy, helping people feel more connected to others’ emotions. However, they don’t appear to affect cognitive empathy, which is the mental ability to understand what others are thinking. These results suggest psychedelics may have therapeutic potential for improving social connection and emotional understanding.