Collaboration for Interdisciplinary Research on Conscious Experience

CIRCE aims to advance the scientific study of human consciousness, with a particular focus on altered states of consciousness (ASC) induced by various pharmacological and non-pharmacological consciousness-modifying techniques (CMT). By providing high quality reference data sets and establishing best practice measurement methods, we support basic research and inform applications in clinical practice.

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Projects

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ASDB

The Altered States Database (ASDB) is an open science platform designed to provide researchers and the public with comprehensive access to psychometric data on altered states of consciousness (ASC) induced by various consciousness-modifying techniques (CMT). The ASDB assimilates data from peer-reviewed publications and is systematically updated annually according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, ensuring methodological rigour and transparency.

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AXP

The Altered Xperience Project (AXP) is an open science and citizen science initiative dedicated to advancing the phenomenological study of altered states of consciousness (ASC). AXP provides a secure, anonymised platform for individuals to share their subjective experiences of ASCs induced by various consciousness-modifying techniques (CMTs). These anonymised data are part of a growing repository that is freely available to the research community.

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CAR

The Consciousness Assessment Repository (CAR) is a collection of psychometric questionnaires that have been curated for researchers studying altered states of consciousness (ASC). Each instrument is accompanied by detailed background information to assist in selecting the most appropriate tool for specific research contexts. The repository provides comprehensive overviews of each questionnaire's history and versions, practical guidance on analysis to minimise common methodological errors, and references to available translations and validation studies.

Services

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Generating Knowledge

We aim to deepen the scientific understanding of altered states of consciousness (ASCs) by studying their subjective characteristics, neural correlates and underlying mechanisms. Our work seeks to identify the fundamental principles that shape these states. While our primary focus is on basic research, we recognise the potential of these findings to inform therapeutic applications, including the optimisation of dosing strategies and the refinement of clinical practice.

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Sharing Knowledge

We provide expert advice to researchers and institutions involved in the study of ASC. Our expertise includes comprehensive methodological guidance, customised selection of psychometric instruments, and development of customised study designs to ensure scientific rigour and relevance. We also offer workshops, lectures and science communication to transfer knowledge and promote advances in ASC research.

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Managing Knowledge

We are committed to providing transparent and reliable access to psychometric data for researchers and the public. We ensure accuracy and quality through systematic maintenance and annual updates to the ASDB, based on comprehensive literature searches and in line with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. This approach reflects our commitment to maintaining a trusted resource that is both transparent and informed in the ethos of open science.

Team

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Dr. rer. nat. Timo T. Schmidt

Chief Scientist

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Tim Hirschfeld, M.Sc. PH

Doctoral Researcher, Data-Analyst, Web-Developer

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Cyril Costines, M.Sc.

Doctoral Researcher, Lecturer

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Sascha Krüger, Dipl.-Kfm.

Treasurer, Finance

Contact us

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Contact: CIRCE — Collaboration for Interdisciplinary Research on Conscious Experience e.V.

Address: Kohlgarten 1, 15755 Teupitz, Germany

E-Mail: timo.schmidt@circe-science.com

This website was created by Tim Hirschfeld on behalf of CIRCE. Images adopted from Freepik.

In its judgment of May 12, 1998 - 312 O 85/98 - the Regional Court of Hamburg ruled that the inclusion of a link may entail co-responsibility for the content of the linked page. According to the court, this can only be prevented by expressly distancing oneself from these contents.

Links to other pages on the Internet appear at various points on this homepage. For all these links, we have no influence whatsoever on the design and content of the linked pages. I therefore distance myself from their content and the pages linked to them.

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