Introduction

Thank you for participating in this unique online survey! This is a research project conducted by Ally Ginter as part of her Bachelor degree program in Business Psychology at the Hochschule für angewandtes Management, supervised by Prof. Dr. Joel Schmidt.

The goal of the project is to investigate the possible impacts of psychoactive substance use on the values and beliefs of leaders in organizations.

Psychoactive substances influence psychological functions including cognition, behavior, and self-awareness, with effects varying based on the specific substance utilized. Among the most common are alcohol and marijuana, but also include classic serotonergic psychedelics such as Psilocybin, LSD, Mescaline, and DMT.

Psychedelics are a specific type of psychoactive substances and have demonstrated promising results in clinical settings for treating various mental health conditions. The effectiveness of these drugs often stems from their ability to significantly alter perception, mood, and cognitive processes. This raises the question: Do psychedelics also have potential to enhance leadership qualities?

Purpose of the Survey

This survey examines the relationship between psychoactive substance use and leaders' values and their sense of connectedness. By participating in the survey your experiences and perceptions contribute to the investigation of the potential benefits and challenges of these substances for leadership development purposes.

Survey Overview

You will be asked to provide insights on your personal values, your feelings of connectedness, and your experiences with alcohol, marijuana, and psychedelics. Additionally, we seek your opinions on the potential benefits and challenges of using psychedelics in leadership settings.

Duration: Approximately 15-20 minutes.
Sections:
    • Leadership and Psychoactive Substance Use
    • Values Assessment
    • Connectedness Scale
    • Open-Ended Questions
    • Demographic Information

Why Participate?
  • Your insights are invaluable in shaping future leadership development models.
  • All responses are anonymous, ensuring your privacy and confidentiality.

Confidentiality and Data Use

(1) Voluntary Participation: Participation in this survey is entirely voluntary. At any time, you have the option to discontinue the survey, decline participation in further surveys, and withdraw your consent for the recording of your data without any consequences.

(2) Purpose: This data is collected exclusively for the creation of a Bachelor’s thesis by Ally Ginter.

(3) Contact Person: For any inquiries or concerns regarding the survey or data handling, please contact:

Ally Ginter
Email: ally.ginter@edu.fham.de

(4) Personal Data Handling:
a. All personal data collected from participants will be processed in anonymized form to ensure privacy.
b. All personal data will be permanently deleted following the evaluation and grading of the thesis.

(5) Publication: Research findings may be published as part of the graded Bachelor thesis. Only aggregated or anonymized data will be included to prevent identification of participants.

(6) Data Protection Compliance: We adhere strictly to the data protection standards set forth in Articles 15-20 of the GDPR. All data processing activities are also in compliance with Article 32 of the GDPR, ensuring the security and confidentiality of your data.

Question Title

Do you agree with our data protection declaration and agree to participate in the study?

Leadership and Psychoactive Substance Use

Question Title

What is your current leadership position?

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How many years of leadership experience do you have?

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Can you tell me the number of staff under your supervision?

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How often have you used the following psychoactive substances before?

  Never Once 2-5 times 6-20 times 21-50 times > 50 times
Alcohol
Marijuana
Classic Serotonergic Psychedelics (Psilocybin, LSD, Mescaline, DMT)

Question Title

How frequently do you use the following substances?

  I have never used this substance before Several times a week Once a week Several times a month Once a month Several times a year Once every year Less than once every year
Alcohol
Marijuana
Classic Serotonergic Psychedelics (Psilocybin, LSD, Mescaline, DMT)

Question Title

When was the last time you used the following substances?

  I have never used this substance before Within the past week Within the past month Within the past 3 months Within the past 6 months Within the past year More than a year ago
Alcohol
Marijuana
Classic Serotonergic Psychedelics (Psilocybin, LSD, Mescaline, DMT)

Question Title

Values Assessment
This inventory presents a list of beliefs that often guide people's behavior and influence their decision-making processes. As you read through each statement, reflect on how frequently each belief impacts your actions and choices.

Please select the response on a five-point scale that best describes how often each belief guides your behavior:

1 = Seldom (This belief (almost) never influences my decisions)
2 = Occasionally (This belief sporadically influences my decisions)
3 = Sometimes (This belief sometimes influences my decisions)
4 = Often (This belief regularly influences my decisions)
5 = Frequently (This belief (almost) always influences my decisions)

Take your time to consider each statement carefully and choose the option that most accurately reflects your experience. Please answer the assessment honestly, rather than based on what is socially desirable, as all responses are anonymous. :)

  Seldom Guides My Behavior Occasionally Guides My Behavior Sometimes Guides My Behavior Often Guides My Behavior Frequently Guides My Behavior
Challenging myself to achieve
Being liked by others
Protecting the environment
Being sensitive to others’ needs
Coming up with new ideas
Having financial success
Taking care of my body
Being independent (doing things I want to do)
Being reliable
Believing in a higher power
Improving my performance
Being accepted by others
Taking care of the environment
Helping others
Creating new things or ideas
Making money
Being in good physical shape
Giving my opinion
Being trustworthy
Believing that there is something greater than ourself
Working hard to do better
Feeling as though I belong
Appreciating the beauty of nature
Being concerned about the rights of others
Discovering new things or ideas
Being wealthy
Being strong or good in a sport (being athletic)
Having control over my time
Meeting my obligations
Living in harmony with my spiritual beliefs

Question Title

Please tell me about any impact (if any) the use of psychoactive substances has had on your values and belief systems. Please specify the psychoactive substance you are referring to.

Question Title

Please tell me about any impact (if any) the use of psychoactive substances has had on your leadership behavior. Please specify the psychoactive substance you are referring to.

Connectedness Scale

Reflecting on how you have felt over the past week, please rate the following items on a scale (from 0 = Not at all to 100 = Entirely).
Drag the indicator to a position on the scale that shows how much you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.

Question Title

I have felt trapped in my mind.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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My mind has felt connected to my heart/emotion.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to my senses (touch/taste/sight/smell/hearing).

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to a range of emotions.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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If I had chosen to, I could have ‘sat with’ painful memories.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to my body.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have been able to fully experience emotion, whether positive or negative.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt alone.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to friends and/or family.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to a community.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to all humanity.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt unwelcome amongst others.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt separate from the world around me.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to a purpose in life.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to nature.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to a spiritual essence (in the secular or religious sense).

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to a source of universal love.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have seen things from a broad perspective, 'the bigger picture’.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt that everything is interconnected.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to my country.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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I have felt connected to my ancestors.

Not at all Entirely
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.
Personal Insights

The following three questions aim to find out what your opinions are on the use of psychedelics in leadership development. Please feel free to share your thoughts and any experiences you feel are relevant.

Question Title

What potential benefits do you associate with using psychedelic substances for leadership development, regardless of whether you have personally used them?

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What potential challenges do you associate with using psychedelic substances for leadership development, regardless of whether you have personally used them?

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Is there anything else you would like to add about your perception on using psychedelic substances for leadership development purposes?

Demographic Information

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Please select your age range from the options below.

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What is your gender?

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What is your nationality (e.g. DE = German)?

Thank You for Your Participation!

Thank you for taking the time to contribute to my research project. Your insights are invaluable for understanding the potential of psychedelics in leadership development. Your support is deeply appreciated.

Sincerely,
Ally Ginter

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