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Dr Vince Polito

Senior Research Fellow in Cognitive Science

Macquarie University

Biography

I’m a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychological Sciences, and member of the Biomolecular Discovery Research Centre at Macquarie University. I’m interested in self representation, in particular how we monitor feelings of control over our actions (sense of agency) and how we track our bodies in space (body representation).

My research focuses on developing measures of how our sense of self changes in different contexts, clinical conditions, and altered states of consciousness.

My work has been profiled by Buzzfeed, Nine News, ABC News24 and many others.

Interests

  • Self Representation
  • Sense of Agency
  • Belief Formation
  • Altered States of Consciousness
  • Psychedelics

Current Research

Self Representation

Measures and tools for understanding how we monitor our actions and bodies.

Altered States

What can altered states of consciousness teach us about cognition?

Microdosing Psychedelics

What are the short and long term effects of microdosing psychedelic substances?

Wise Cogntion

How do beliefs, memory and decision making processes shape our individual and social behaviours?

Media & Outreach

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Recent TV Radio Podcasts Editorial News Exhibitions Talks

Magic Cure Or An Expensive Trip? Psychedelics Explained

The Quicky

Feb 13, 2023

Microdosing may be on the rise, but what are the ethical and illegal dilemmas of doing it for work?

ABC News

Dec 22, 2022

Microdosing At Work

ABC Radio National - This Working Life

Dec 2, 2022

What we know so far about microdosing psychedelics

360info

Oct 11, 2022

Just a little bit

Nature Outlook

Sep 29, 2022

Are psychedelic experiences like near death experiences?

ABC Radio Sydney Afternoons

Aug 22, 2022

Does Microdosing Actually Work? The Science Is Still Conflicted

Vice

Aug 22, 2022

Psychedelic Promises

Chau Chak Wing Museum

Aug 11, 2022

Microdosing: Scientists tackle psychedelic trend becoming ‘creative enhancer of choice’

Sydney Morning Herald

Jul 23, 2022

More Oregon counties want to ban psilocybin services, a review of microdosing, and remembering Ann Shulgin

The Microdose

Jul 16, 2022

Young Tall Poppies for Macquarie scientists

Macquarie University This Week

Jul 14, 2022

A microdosing trial for depression

ABC Radio Hobart

Jul 12, 2022

Can microdosing psychedelics improve your mental health? Here’s what the science says

ABC News

Jul 3, 2022

Mummies who mushroom: The mums using psychedelics to take the edge off modern parenthood

Harpers Bazaar

Jun 22, 2022

Are there clinical benefits to magic mushrooms?

ABC Radio Nightlife

Apr 29, 2022

Can tiny doses of psychedelics help with depression?

ABC Radio Sydney Drive

Apr 28, 2022

How Aussies suffering from depression could soon be able to start micro-dosing on MAGIC MUSHROOMS in radical new therapy

Daily Mail Australia

Apr 28, 2022

Australian researchers trialling magic mushroom active ingredient as antidepressant

Nine News

Apr 27, 2022

Clinical trial to test psychedelics in treating depression

The Lighthouse

Apr 25, 2022

A world first trial to treat depression with magic mushrooms

ABC Radio Brisbane

Apr 24, 2022

Is Microdosing Just Placebo?

Bill of Health @ Petrie-Flom Center, Harvard University

Apr 8, 2022

What the science says about microdosing

Australian Financial Review

Mar 25, 2022

Why microdosing is gaining momentum in Australia

Australian Financial Review

Mar 24, 2022

Science at the Edge of Consciousness 2021

New study finds ‘microdosing’ psychedelics can be effective in treating anxiety, depression

The Hill

Nov 23, 2021

UBCO study shows link between microdosing psychedelics, reduced anxiety and depression

Vernon Morning Star

Nov 23, 2021

Science at the Edge of Consciousness

2SER

Nov 17, 2021

Does psychedelic microdosing work? Brain study will be the real acid test

The New Daily

Sep 25, 2021

Aus trial to probe microdosing with psychedelics

Australian Doctor

Sep 6, 2021

First Neuroimaging Study of Psilocybin Microdosing Underway in Sydney

Psychedelic Spotlight

Aug 16, 2021

One Woman’s Desperate Attempt To Treat Her PMDD By Microdosing Acid

Junkee

Aug 6, 2021

‘At one with the universe’: How can psychedelic drugs help treat suffering?

Sydney Morning Herald

Jul 30, 2021

A new study looking at the brains of microdosers

ABC Digital

Jul 29, 2021

Psychedelic microdosing investigated for pharmacological effect on the brain

ABC Radio Sydney

Jul 19, 2021

Psychedelic microdosing study to reveal what really happens in brains

The Lighthouse

Jul 14, 2021

Microdosing and personality

ABC Radio Sydney

Apr 6, 2021

What is microdosing?

Radio Adelaide

Apr 5, 2021

Could microdosing be as good as yoga for your mood? It’s not that big a stretch

The Conversation

Mar 31, 2021

Microdosing Research Panel

Mydecine Speaker Series

Jan 21, 2021

Unique magic mushroom microdosing study to begin in Australia

New Atlas

Jan 21, 2021

Magic Mushrooms: Trip Through the Science

Science VS

Dec 10, 2020

Hypnosis Experts Cast Doubt on Famous Psychological Experiments

Scientific American

Oct 21, 2020

Is Microdosing Psychedelics The Answer to Our Mental Health Crisis?

The Quicky

Sep 22, 2020

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Microdosing Psychedelics?

Doubleblind

Aug 11, 2020

Australian Psychedelic Research Panel

Entheogenesis Australis Garden States 2020

Jul 5, 2020

Chanting is an ancient practice with mental health effects that might apply to our busy lives

ABC News

Apr 21, 2020

What is the science behind The Goop Lab’s claims?

BBC News

Feb 8, 2020

Hypnosis for anxiety? ‘Doable’ if you have an open mind

Sydney Morning Herald

Jan 22, 2020

Editors’ Picks 2019

PLOS Blogs

Dec 31, 2019

Is Australia ignoring psychedelics as a mental health treatment?

Junkee Takeaway

Nov 28, 2019

Microdosing research in New Zealand

TV1 New Zealand

Nov 26, 2019

Conducting microdosing research in Australia

Mindstew Podcast

Nov 6, 2019

Can microdosing psychedelics take the edge off a first date?

Mic

Sep 23, 2019

The Mythology of Microdosing Continues to Grow. Can Science Catch Up?

Behavioral Scientist

Sep 9, 2019

Experiments with LSD

Radio New Zealand

Aug 29, 2019

Experiences Of microdosing psychedelics: An observational Study - Bicycle Day 2019

Radio 3CR

Aug 18, 2019

Psychedelia - More Than Just Groovy

2SER

Aug 14, 2019

Up and atom [from 2:27:00]

FBI Radio

Aug 13, 2019

Microdosing | Worklife 101

BBC News

Jul 22, 2019

Microdosing and peak performance

L’ADN [French]

Jun 26, 2019

Study finds microdosing psychedelics can be beneficial, but not in the way that users most expect

Big Think

May 28, 2019

Study Finds Microdosing Psychedelics Can Be Beneficial, But Not In The Way That Users Most Expect

The British Psychological Society Research Digest

May 17, 2019

Psychedelic parenting: The sad new trend of microdosing moms

The Week

May 16, 2019

‘It’s a treat’: The rise of magic mushroom microdosing

The Irish Times

May 6, 2019

Australian microdosing trends

ABC Radio Melbourne

May 6, 2019

It makes me enjoy playing with the kids’: is microdosing mushrooms going manstream?

The Guardian

May 3, 2019

Experiences Of microdosing psychedelics

Australian Psychedelic Society

Apr 19, 2019

Smoke and Mirrors: The Science of Magic

Wellcome Trust Exhibition

Apr 11, 2019

Psychedelic Microdosing Doesn’t Meet User Expectations

Australasian Science

Mar 15, 2019

Drogen-Kick furs Buro

Sueddeutsche Zeitung [German]

Mar 7, 2019

Microdosing DMT might reduce depression and anxiety

ZME Science

Mar 6, 2019

What microdosing does is not the same as what we expect it to do

VICE

Mar 6, 2019

A New Chapter in the Science of Psychedelic Microdosing

The Atlantic

Mar 5, 2019

New study claims microdosing improves focus and fights depression

MixMag

Feb 25, 2019

We Finally Have Evidence on Whether Microdosing LSD Can Help With Your Work

Science Alert

Feb 18, 2019

Study of Microdosing Psychedelics Finds Mixed Bag of Effects

Psych Central

Feb 17, 2019

First rigorous study: Microdosing fights depression, improves focus

Futurism

Feb 14, 2019

‘Microdosing’ may de-stress but doesn’t live up to psychedelic hype, study finds

Sydney Morning Herald

Feb 13, 2019

Microdosing Hallucinogens Has Positive Effects - but Not What You Might Suspect

Pacific Standard

Feb 13, 2019

Microdosing reduces depression and mind wandering but increases neuroticism, according to first-of-its-kind study

PsyPost

Feb 13, 2019

Microdosing Study Yields Mixed Results

The Fix

Feb 13, 2019

Microdosing psychedelics

ABC News24

Feb 9, 2019

Microdosing psilocybin: How small doses of magic mushrooms can improve wellbeing

NEWS.COM.AU

Feb 8, 2019

As the interest in microdosing rises, some ask if it can measure up to expectations

ABC Radio Melbourne

Feb 7, 2019

Can microdosing actually help you?

2SER - The Daily

Feb 7, 2019

Does microdosing improve your mood and performance? Here’s what the research says

The Conversation

Feb 7, 2019

Drug microdosing effects may not measure up to big expectations

Medical Xpress

Feb 7, 2019

LSD could improve cognitive functioning, study finds

Newshub

Feb 7, 2019

Microdosing of drug LSD ‘may improve psychological health’

stuff.co.nz

Feb 7, 2019

Microdosing Your Way Towards Good Mental Health?

2SER - Drive

Feb 7, 2019

Psychedelic microdosing effects fail to match expectations in new study

New Atlas

Feb 7, 2019

Psychedelic Microdosing Has Benefits, But Not The Ones People Expect

IFL Science

Feb 7, 2019

The Findings From A Groundbreaking Study On Psychedelic Microdosing Are In

High Times

Feb 7, 2019

Study looks at effects of microdosing of psychedelics on mental health

News Medical

Feb 6, 2019

A New Study Is Using Magic Mushrooms To Treat Terminally Ill Patients With Depression

Buzzfeed News

Jan 15, 2019

Hypnosis breakthrough in changing ingrained behaviour

The Lighthouse

Oct 23, 2018

Hypnosis research for reducing anxiety and stress

The Daily on 2SER Radio Sydney

Sep 19, 2018

Tripping for depression

ABC Radio National - All In The Mind

Sep 16, 2018

How virtual reality is being used in science as well as gaming

Nine News

Sep 9, 2018

We’re starting to learn some incredible things about hypnosis

Buzzfeed News

Sep 7, 2018

People Say Microdosing Can Increase Cognitive Ability And Regulate Emotions. Here’s What We Know About It

Buzzfeed News

Sep 3, 2018

Why we’re thinking about conspiracy theorists wrong

Vice

Apr 12, 2018

Great, conspiracy theorists are ruining democracy now

Gizmodo

Apr 11, 2018

Conspiracy theorists: Are they actually irrational?

Drive on 2SER Radio Sydney

Apr 10, 2018

Conspiracy theorists: Are they actually irrational?

2SER - Drive

Apr 10, 2018

Don’t believe everything you see on TV: hypnosis is less far fetched and far more important

The Conversation

Apr 6, 2018

Study reveals who is spreading online conspiracies

phys.org

Apr 3, 2018

Who is spreading online conspiracies?

MyScience

Apr 3, 2018

Online conspiracy theorists are more diverse (and ordinary) than most assume

Gizmodo

Apr 2, 2018

Study finds conspiracy theories aren’t all spread by tinfoil-hat-wearing crazies

RT

Apr 1, 2018

Huge study shows who’s really to Blame for spreading conspiracy theories online

Science Alert

Mar 31, 2018

Online conspiracy theorists are more diverse (and ordinary) than most assume

ABC News

Mar 29, 2018

Psychotechnologies: Consciousness Hacking Panel

Entheogenesis Australis 2017

Dec 9, 2017

Meditation meets neuroscience

ABC Radio National - All In The Mind

Apr 24, 2016

Are we always in control of our actions?

ABC Radio National

Oct 11, 2014

Recent Publications

Wendy C. Higgins, Robert M. Ross, Vince Polito, David M. Kaplan (2023). Three threats to the validity of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test: A commentary on Pavlova and Sokolov (2022). Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, pp. 105088, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105088.

PDF

Irene L. Graafsma, Serje Robidoux, Lyndsey Nickels, Matthew Roberts, Vince Polito, Judy D. Zhu, Eva Marinus (2023). The cognition of programming: logical reasoning, algebra and vocabulary skills predict programming performance following an introductory computing course. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, (0), 0, pp. 1–18, https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2023.2166054.

PDF Project

Dali Geagea, Zephanie Tyack, Roy Kimble, Vince Polito, Bassel Ayoub, Devin B Terhune, Bronwyn Griffin (2022). Clinical hypnosis for Procedural Pain and Distress in Children: A Scoping Review. Pain Medicine, pp. pnac186, https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnac186.

PDF Project

See all publications

Recent & Upcoming Talks

What we know so far about microdosing

Microdosing has exploded in popularity over the past six years. A microdose can be 1/10th or less of a recreational dose and users will …
Dec 2, 2022 9:00 AM — Dec 4, 2022 7:00 PM Springvale, Victoria
Vince Polito
Project

The state of microdosing science: What we know and where we need to go next

The use of low doses of psychedelic substances (microdosing) is attracting increasing interest. Proponents of microdosing claim a wide …
Sep 26, 2022 9:00 AM — Sep 28, 2022 7:00 PM Philharmonie, Haarlem, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Vince Polito, Paul Liknaitzky
Project

Psychedelic promises

Join artists, curators and scientists as they discuss how the utopian visions and legal difficulties of psychedelic drugs impacted art …
Aug 11, 2022 6:00 PM — 7:00 PM Nelson Meers Foundation Auditorium, Chau Chak Wing Museum, Sydney University
Mark Ledbury, Dilara Bahceci, Joshua Berger, Robert Gordon, Andrew McNamara, Vince Polito
Project Project
See all talks

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