John F. Schumaker

Previous leading commentators on the development of psychology in the Third World have conceived of three major stages: an attempt to assimilate Western psychology, with predictably negative results; the study of indigenous constructs, with more relevant applications; and, finally, transcending stage one and stage two to choose theories and methods on their applied merit alone. Psychology and the Developing World has been assembled to document how close psychology has come to researching that stage. Contributors were carefully selected to provide a unique overview of the latest applications of the discipline as a whole. Their work reveals how psychology is being applied to educational needs, management needs, and health needs. This book shows how development studies and allied disciplines cannot ignore psychology's potential for the Third World.

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. While modernity offers unprecedented opportunities for personal enhancement and creative expression, there is mounting evidence of a mental health crisis that demands the immediate attention of mental health professionals. In order to address the new challenges that have arisen under conditions of modernity, mental health professionals must rethink fundamental assumptions about the relationship between society and mental health, as well as the impact of modern social concerns upon individual behavior and psychological 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. By shedding light on the interaction between modernity and mental health, Schumaker illuminates the emerging patterns of mental disturbance while also offering new and more effective intervention and prevention strategies.

An interdisciplinary volume which draws together the concepts of culture and cognition in the wider context of psychopathology. It provides new perspectives on the etiology, treatment, and prevention of psychopathology by challenging current individualistic models and assumptions, while offering new theoretical formulations that take account of the cultural foundation of the cognition process. This book is divided into three sections. The first offers a history of the existing shortsighted models that see the individual as the source of pathological cognitions. The second section is comprised of nine chapters that examine selected mental disorders. The final section examines the implications of new models that take account of cultural sources of cognition. This book will be of interest to clinical and cross-cultural psychology; anthropology, sociology, and professionals in psychology, social services, and public health.

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.