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Shamanism and psychosis: Shared mechanisms?

Albert R. Powers, Philip R. Corlett

Behavioral and Brain Sciences January 2018 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x1700214x (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Topics Shamanism
Key points Proposes that individual-specific predispositions may precede the cultural evolution of shamanism and may be linked to it via predictive coding, and that this framework can identify commonalities between clinical and shaman-like non-clinical voice-hearers, potentially helping relate shamans' experiences to their clients'.

Abstract

Individual-specific predispositions may precede the cultural evolution of shamanism and may be linked to it via principles of predictive coding. We have used these principles to identify commonalities between clinical and shaman-like non-clinical voice-hearers. The author may find this approach helpful in relating the experiences of shamans to those of their clients.

Comparable studies

Other theoretical and historical papers on shamanism, most cited first.

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