Magico-Religious Practitioner Types and Socioeconomic Conditions
Cross-Cultural Research February 1, 1986 DOI: 10.1177/106939718602000102 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-cultural comparative analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Cross-cultural sample of societies |
| Citations | 57 |
| Key points | Argues that types of magico-religious practitioners correspond to levels of societal organization, with Shamans in hunting and gathering societies, Shaman/Healers and Priests in agricultural societies, and Healers, Mediums, and Malevolent Practitioners in politically integrated societies. Proposes three bases for these roles: a universal basis related to trance states, sociopolitical power, and conflict between trance-based local power and stratified political power. |
Abstract
A typology of magico-religious practitioners is determined in a cross- cultural sample. Shamans were found in hunting and gathering soci eties ; Shaman/Healers and Priests in agricultural societies; and Healers, Mediums, and Malevolent Practitioners in societies with political integration. Analysis of selection procedures and activities suggests three bases for magico-religious practitioners: a universal basis related to trance states; sociopolitical power in societies with political integra tion ; and conflict between trance-based local power and stratified political power.
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Shamanism as the Original Neurotheology Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science March 1, 2004
- Chinese Wu, Ritualists and Shamans: An Ethnological Analysis Religions June 29, 2023
- Psychointegrators: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on the Therapeutic Effects of Hallucinogens Complementary health practice review July 1, 2001
- An Ethnological Analogy and Biogenetic Model for Interpretation of Religion and Ritual in the Past Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory April 30, 2021
- The nature of the shamanic state of consciousness: a review. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 1989
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