John F. Schumaker

Argues that religions, other than Western ones, cultivated dissociation as a coping strategy, and that the lack of this approach in the West leads to mental illnesses, and suggests a modern version

A Unified Theory of Religion, Hypnosis, and Psychopathology

The Corruption of Reality

Understanding an Endangered State of Mind

In Search of Happiness

This groundbreaking volume examines our sometimes strained grasp of reality and sheds new light on three subject areas that continue to fascinate researchers, namely, religion, hypnosis, and psychopathology. In The Corruption of Reality, noted psychologist John F. Schumaker argues that, despite their superficial differences, religion, hypnosis, and psychopathology are all expressions of the unique human ability to modify and regulate reality in ways that serve the individual and society. In turn, these same behaviors can be traced to the the brain's remarkable capacity to process information along multiple pathways, thus allowing us to distort reality in strategic ways that enhance coping. This trance-related brain faculty, known as dissociation, is revealed as a crucial determinant of what we come to experience as human reality. Taking a broad multidisciplinary approach, Schumaker demonstrates that reality is usually orchestrated at the level of culture in the form of traditional religion, with religion having been a total way of life in premodern times. In order to function optimally, religions (with the exception of most Western ones) employ dissociative trance-induction techniques that take advantage of drugs, music, dance, and other sources of repetitive monotony. Many of these closely resemble hypnotic induction techniques as they exist in Western culture. They also operate similarly to the cognitive rituals that establish and maintain nonreligious abnormal behavior, better known as psychopathology or mental illness. In this last area, special attention is given to drug abuse, eating disorders, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and responsesto trauma. Many of these disorders, Schumaker argues, are the direct result of the inability of Western culture, with its severely eroded religious systems, to function adequately in its role as regulator of reality. Schumaker proposes ways to revitalize our sick Western culture, including the controversial prospect of constructing a new religion incorporating our current knowledge about our peculiar relationship to ourselves and the world. Along these lines, he offers innovative solutions to such pressing global problems as over-population and ecological destruction. Rigorously argued yet written in a style accessible to all readers, The Corruption of Reality challenges traditional ideas and paves the way for a far-reaching unified theory of conscious and unconscious behavior.

Some argue that religious beliefs foster security of mind and mental stability, maintaining that they offer a sense of hope, meaning, and purpose; provide a reassuring fatalism that enables the believer to better withstand suffering and pain; and give people a sense of power and control through association with an omnipotent force. Others assert, however, that religious beliefs can undermine mental health in ways that include generating excessive levels of guilt, encouraging the unhealthy repression of anger, and creating anxiety and fear with threats of punishment for sinful behavior. This interdisciplinary collection presents previously unpublished papers on the controversial relationship between religious behavior and mental health. Schumaker has assembled a distinguished international roster of contributors - sociologists and anthropologists as well as psychiatrists and psychologists of religion representing a wide range of opinions concerning the mental health implications of religious belief and practice. Taken together, the papers provide a comprehensive overview of theory and research in the field. Included are papers on the interaction of religion and self-esteem, life meaning and well-being, sexual and marital adjustment, anxiety, depression, suicide, psychoticism, rationality, self-actualization, and various patterns of anti-social behavior. Religion is also considered in relation to the mental health of women, the elderly, and children. Contributions addressing mental health in non-Western religious groups add an important cross-cultural dimension to the volume.

Religion and Mental Health

Tony Ward

Draws together the concepts of culture and cognition in the wider context of psychopathology in an interdisciplinary volume.

Cultural Cognition and Psychopathology

Stuart C. Carr

Donald Munro

Motivation and Culture brings together an international list of writers with a variety of academic backgrounds and cultural experiences to explore the ways culture influences motivation. Traditionally, culture has long been neglected by those interested in motivation theories; instead, the focus has been on the individual in relation to biological and cognitive models. While the biological component of motivation is not neglected in this volume, most of the essays emphasize the ways culture needs to be taken into consideration both in formulating theories of motivation and applying them to the modern multicultural world.

Motivation and Culture

George K. Zollschan

Greg F. Walsh

Essays explore paranormal belief and experience, focusing on mind-expanding drugs, the near-death experience, mysticism and meditation, and miracles, and include debates between believers and unbelievers

Perspectives on Belief and Experience

Exploring the Paranormal

This groundbreaking volume examines our sometimes strained grasp of reality and sheds new light on three subject areas that continue to fascinate researchers: religion, hypnosis and psychopathology.The Corruption of Reality challenges many of the ideas in all three disciplines and paves the way for an exciting, far-reaching and unified theory of conscious and unconscious behavior. Schumaker argues that, despite their apparent differences, religion, hypnosis, and psychopathology are all expressions of the unique human ability to modify and regulate reality in ways that ultimately serve the individual and society. In turn, these same behaviors can be traced to the brain's remarkable capacity to process information along multiple pathways, thus allowing the person to manipulate reality in strategic directions aimed at improved coping. He includes a historical and cross-cultural analysis showing how reality reconstruction takes place, and outlines the shortcomings of current psychotherapeutic approaches as well as the promising trends toward a spiritualization of psychotherapy.Rigorously argued, this book challenges traditional ideas and paves the way for a far-reaching unified theory of conscious and unconscious behavior. -CHAOS!Schumaker has taken complex material and made it accessible to the lay-person. Readers of any religious, or non-religious, persuasion will find this book worthwhile, enlightening reading. -Amarillo News-GlobeHoping for something better for our society, Schumaker offers ideas to revitalize our sick Western culture, one of which proposes a new religion embodying current knowledge about our peculiar personal/global relationship. Controversial? Sure, but just about every new idea is controversial at the outset. There's a lot for an open mind to consider here. -Hypnotherapy TodaySchumaker's views and findings on the roles of ritual and perception in our lives and in our views of reality are fascinating. -Booklist

An edited collection giving a unique overview of the latest appplications of psychology in the Third World.

Psychology and the Developing World

Although a growing number of researchers emphasize the social and psychocultural aspects of motivation and motivation theory, few books have provided much coverage beyond well-tread studies of physiological and biological factors and theories. Motivation and Culture brings together eighteen writers with a variety of academic backgrounds and cultural experiences to explore the way that culture impinges on motivation. Exploring topics such as personal values and motives, intercultural exchange in the workplace, the intrapsychic process and the nexus between biology and culture, they formulate theories of motivation that can be applied in the modern multicultural world. Contributors include: Dona Lee Davis, Russell Geen, Joan Miller, John Paul Scott, William Wedenoja, Elisa J. Sobo and Stephen Wilson.

The often misunderstood "modern person syndrome" is a disorder linked to the conditions of living in our contemporary society. The author argues that the conditions of modernity have introduced new processes, forces, and cultural motivations that have major implications for all aspects of mental health and social well being. This innovative approach to mental health seeks to explain a variety of psychological trends, including the steep rise in depression, the sharp increase in the prevalence of existential disorders, and the emergence of consumption disorders. Schumaker illuminates the emerging patterns and also offers new and more effective intervention and prevention strategies.

Modernity and Mental Health

The Age of Insanity

"'Wings of Illusions' offers a unique and disquieting perspective on paranormal belief, including religious belief. Schumaker points out that reality-defying beliefs represent one of the few truly universal elements of human culture. ... The object of this study is to trace the psychological origins of the paranormal and to consider the implications of the prevalence of paranormal belief for the future development of humanity." -- Back cover.

The Origin, Nature, and Future of Paranormal Belief

Wings of Illusion

Explores happiness across wide historical and cultural perspectives, including views from prehistoric happiness to the modern day obsession with happiness and also the future of happiness.

A collection of papers that reflect recent advances in the study of human suggestibility, including not only the topic of hypnosis, but also suggestibility as related to advertising, mental illness, forensics, political persuasion and the biological aspects of the suggestion process.

Advances in Theory, Research, and Application

Human Suggestibility

This is an interdisciplinary collection of previously unpublished papers on the controversial relationship between religious behavior and mental health. Schumaker has assembled a distinguished international roster of contributors--sociologists and anthropologists as well as psychiatrists and psychologists of religion--representing a wide range of opinions concerning the mental health implications of religious belief and practice. Taken together, the papers provide a comprehensive overview of theory and research in the field. Included are papers on the interaction of religion and self-esteem, life meaning and well-being, sexual and marital adjustment, anxiety, depression, suicide, psychoticism, rationality, self-actualization, and various patterns of anti-social behavior. Religion is also dealt with in relation to mental health of women, the elderly, and children. Contributions dealing with mental health in non-Western religious groups add an important cross-cultural dimension to the volume.

John F. Schumaker

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