The corruption of reality : a unified theory of religion, hypnosis, and psychopathology

This ground-breaking 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 behaviour. 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 behaviours 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 spiritualisation of psychotherapy. Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 7 1. The Problem of Reality......Page 11 what is reality?......Page 12 primary reality......Page 15 personal reality......Page 17 cultural reality......Page 20 reality and normality......Page 22 consciousness and order......Page 31 the faculty of dissociation......Page 33 a brief history of dissociation......Page 38 neodissociation theory and beyond......Page 44 trance logic......Page 52 suggestion, dissociation, and reality distortion......Page 55 3. Hypnosis in Global Perspective......Page 60 hypnotic induction......Page 64 varieties of dissociative trance induction......Page 68 sensory deprivation techniques......Page 69 sensory bombardment techniques......Page 72 the limitations of western hypnosis......Page 75 4. Religion: The Cultural Mask of Sanity......Page 79 the hypnosis of religion: experimental evidence......Page 80 cross-cultural perspectives......Page 82 religion and dissociative trance......Page 85 religious induction techniques......Page 90 music, monotony, and religious trance......Page 91 physical movement and religious dissociation......Page 98 religious trance, language, and emotion......Page 102 religion, drugs, and dissociation......Page 105 religious suggestion and its preparation......Page 112 the nature and function of religious suggestion......Page 116 religious symptoms of psychopathology......Page 122 religious delusion......Page 124 the delusion-ritual complex......Page 136 ritualistic symptoms of religion......Page 137 the nature of ritual......Page 139 obsessive-compulsive behavior: religious type......Page 142 5. Psychopathology: New Perspectives......Page 150 paranormal psychopathology......Page 151 dissociation and pathological drug usage......Page 166 musical addictions......Page 169 psychopathological dissociations......Page 172 research on dissociation and psychopathology......Page 174 bulimia nervosa......Page 178 multiple personality disorder......Page 179 factors triggering dissociative reactions......Page 180 factors triggering multiple personality disorder and its relation to religious dissociation......Page 183 possible causative factors behind eating disorders......Page 186 the cognitive workings of psychopathology......Page 187 psychopathology and reality transformation......Page 188 autodissociation via monoideistic cognition......Page 195 additional dissociative disorders......Page 197 psychopathological symptoms and culture......Page 204 religion as a cultural distortive mechanism......Page 211 6. Treating The Individual And Society......Page 215 toward the spiritualization of psychotherapy......Page 217 some feminist approaches......Page 218 ritualistic healing ceremonies......Page 221 the reluctant resurgence of hypnotic therapies......Page 225 salish spirit dancing......Page 228 charisma as a therapeutic tool......Page 230 healing a sick society......Page 232 some prescriptions for the future......Page 239 Endnotes......Page 250 Bibliography......Page 266 Index......Page 278 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.--book Jacket. 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.--book Jacket.^ 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 Responses To 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.--book Jacket. 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.--book Jacket. 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.--book Jacket. The Problem Of Reality -- The Mechanics Of Dissociation And Suggestion -- Hypnosis In Global Perspective -- Religion: The Cultural Mask Of Sanity -- Psycho[pathology: New Perspectives -- Treating The Individual And Society. John F. Schumaker. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 269-280) And Index. This groundbreaking volume examines our sometimes strained grasp of reality and sheds new light on three subject areas that continue to fascinate 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. Examines our sometimes strained grasp of reality and sheds fresh light on three subject areas that fascinate researchers: religion, hypnosis and psychopathology. This volume challenges many of the ideas in these disciplines. It includes a historical and cross-cultural analysis showing how reality reconstruction takes place.