Set and setting

The terms were used at least as early as 1958 by Ludwig von Bertalanffy and popularized by Timothy Leary in 1961, and became widely accepted by researchers in psychedelic therapy.

Stress, fear, a disagreeable material, social, and cultural environment, including situations of racism or discrimination,[9][10] may result in an unpleasant experience (bad trip).

It merely acts as a chemical key – it opens the mind, frees the nervous system of its ordinary patterns and structures.

Setting is physical – the weather, the room's atmosphere; social – feelings of persons present towards one another; and cultural – prevailing views as to what is real.

Their purpose is to enable a person to understand the new realities of the expanded consciousness, to serve as road maps for new interior territories which modern science has made accessible.Research has shown that a curated music playlist can be part of a favourable setting.