Spirit possession in South Asia, dissociation or hysteria? Part 1: Theoretical background.
Culture, medicine and psychiatry March 1, 1994 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1007/bf01384875 via PubMed
Summary
Psychoanalytic and biological theories are inadequate for studying pathological spirit possession in South Asia, as they overlook the cultural context of mental illnesses. In contrast, dissociation theory provides a more effective framework for this analysis. The abstract also discusses the historical shifts in psychiatric theory that relate to understanding spirit possession.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Dissociation theory offers a better theoretical tool for analyzing pathological spirit possession in South Asia than psychoanalytic or biological theories. |
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Abstract
Psychoanalytic theory appears flawed in its notions of universal oedipal conflict and repression, and unsuitable for the study of pathological spirit possession in South Asia. The biological theory of contemporary psychiatry is no more effective in this analysis because mental illnesses are constituted within culture-bound categories of experience. Dissociation theory offers a better theoretical tool for this type of research. A summary of the history of paradigm shifts in psychiatric theory relevant to spirit possession is presented.