Researchers might have figured out why you miss your festival neighbors so much.
A new study conducted by the University of Kent called “I Get High With a Little Help From My Friends’ – How Raves Can Invoke Identity Fusion and Lasting Co-operation via Transformative Experiences” claims to explain this phenomenon scientifically. Researchers Martha Newson, Ragini Khurana, Freya Cazorla, and Valerie van Mulukom, focused on the “4Ds” of a concert: “dance, drums, sleep deprivation, and drugs.”
They recruited fans of electronic music and active clubbers and asked them to share their concert experiences with them. They then ranked how much each of the “4Ds” applied to each participant in the situation and then asked about how they felt about the people around them in an attempt to see if this impacted their opinions about their fellow concertgoers.
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An interesting point to note from the study is that those who experienced awe during the event underwent personal changes and that psychedelics in particular enhanced these feelings.
As one might expect, this study included detailed analysis and modeling to accurately come to a conclusion based on their data. The four researchers concluded that their research suggests that the “4Ds” do in fact contribute to prosocial behavior and meaningful bonds are created at these events.
The study can be read in its entirety in the Frontiers in Psychology peer-reviewed journal.
