Talk:Misconception of material

Misconception of material refers to the inaccurate interpretation of the material that makes up an object or objects in ones environment. It can also lead to false senses of the properties of that material, such as its density. This effect occurs even when the person is fully aware of the object's actual material makeup based on personal experience or sheer logic. Despite rational awareness of what an object is actually comprised of, misconception of material creates a very distinct feeling that the object is actually made of something else.

For example, an individual may see a couch with foam cushions and rationally know from experience that the cushions are foam, but have the impression that they are made up of wax. Another example is seeing plaster walls and perceiving them to be comprised of sponge. Misconception of material may also manifest as a sense about certain properties of an object, such as perceiving that an object is flowing with electricity or is very porous inside.

This effect occurs even in the absence of tactile hallucinations or visual hallucinations, which is noteworthy because the misconception cannot be attributed to faulty sensory cues. For instance, it may not be true misconception of material if a visual hallucination of a flowing carpet leads to a thought of it being made out of liquid. That being said, misconception of material often accompanies a myriad of hallucinogenic effects such as visual drifting, distorted depth perception, color distortion, feelings of merging with nearby objects, and tactile hallucinations.

This effect typically occurs with moderate doses of psychadelics such as LSD and dissociatives such as DXM. It may also occur with deliriants.