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The Varieties of Psychedelic Experience – Dr Robert Masters and Dr Jean Houston

quoting Andrija Puharich – Beyond Telepathy

Puharich devised a series of tests aimed at detecting  telepathic performance whilst the subjects were using the drug  Amanita Muscari .

In another experiment, the subject would be asked to 'get into the head of' or 'identify with' some historical or contemporary personage concerning whom the guide, it was believed, had much more knowledge and inside information than did the subject.  The subject was told to 'incarnate' himself in that person, to be that person and think and behave accordingly.

In some of the cases the results were remarkable, the subject changing his voice, way of speaking, posture and even, it seemed his appearance and way of thinking.  The subject would not, however, lose his awareness of his own identity.  He would, rather, be two people and would talk about his new and second self with a plausibility that sometimes verged on the uncanny.

Of such a 'test' it must be said that it is never possible for the guide to be certain of the extent of the subject's knowledge of the person with whom he identifies.  Asking the subject to 'get into' a person totally unknown to him is not productive. 

At the very least, however, this game as elicited some outstanding performances from persons not previously aware of any acting ability.  Some of the performances also would necessitate the subject's calling upon reservoirs of information, or memories, not consciously in his possession.  Further, there seems to be demonstrated here a heightened capacity for empathy