Introduction
No principle in psychedelic science is more fundamental -- or more often repeated -- than set and setting. The idea that the effects of a psychedelic drug depend critically on the user's mindset (set) and the physical and social environment (setting) distinguishes psychedelics from virtually every other class of drug. An antibiotic works the same way whether you take it in a hospital or a living room. A psychedelic does not. Understanding why this is so, and how to optimize set and setting for therapeutic outcomes, has become one of the most active and important areas of research in the field.
Historical Origins
The concept was formalized by Timothy Leary in 1961, drawing on his experiences with psilocybin at Harvard. However, the underlying idea predates Leary considerably. Ludwig von Bertalanffy, the biologist and systems theorist, used the terms "set" and "setting" as early as 1958 in reference to drug effects. Indigenous traditions had long recognized the importance of ceremonial context, intention, and the guidance of experienced practitioners in shaping psychedelic experiences.
Leary defined "set" as the person's expectations, preparation, personality, mood, and intention going into the experience, and "setting" as the physical environment, the people present, the cultural context, and the emotional atmosphere. In his 1964 book The Psychedelic Experience, he argued that the drug itself was merely a catalyst -- the actual experience was shaped predominantly by these non-pharmacological variables.
