The second half of the twentieth century brought great changes to both anthropological theory as well as the perception of mental health. After the end of World War II and throughout the Cold War, a large demand for new university programs and faculty emerged due to the GI bill. This allowed many more Americans to study anthropology as a profession, shifting professional positions from governmental work to teaching jobs in new universities. The tension during this time of war gave way to new anthropological theories as well as a return to cultural evolution. For example, new theories that observed the connection between energy and technology emerged, as well as a focus on cultural ecology. At this same time, major changes within the field
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These include “Shamans and Acute Schizophrenia,” by Julian Silverman of the National Institute of Mental Health, as well as “The Windigo Psychosis: Psychodynamic, Cultural, and Social Factors in Aberrant Behavior,” by Thomas H Hay. These articles analyze mental illness found in different societies and aim to determine if these illnesses are culturally legitimate or if these individuals are just seen as “ill” through western eyes. The articles discussed demonstrate iconic anthropological and psychological ideas of the late 20th century, while also demystifying unique cultural …show more content…
The influence of the third force grew throughout the 1960s through 1980s. It offered a new process in understanding human nature, created a vast new horizon of methods of inquiry in the study of human behavior, as well as increased methods within the practice of psychotherapy (Simply Psychology). Humanistic psychology is a world view as well as an applied psychological approach. Both the article by Silverman and the article by Hay exhibit this third force psychology. In discussing shamanism, Silverman acknowledges that these spiritual men have their own unique behavior, according to their own subjective conscious worldview. He states that “shamanism is regarded as a total psychological adjustment to a condition of extreme threat,” or an attempt to make sense of their environment (Silverman 1967, 25). An emphasis is placed on the fact that a shaman 's “abnormal” behavior, similar to the behaviors of schizophrenics, is the result of a specific psychological process, rather than pressure placed on the individual by society. Thomas Hay also utilizes humanistic psychology within “The Windigo Psychosis.” He determines that the impulse to cannibalism depends on the desire for some particular outcome (Hay 1971, 3). This behavioral change is up to the individual’s own free will, it is not predetermined. Although he does
These include “Shamans and Acute Schizophrenia,” by Julian Silverman of the National Institute of Mental Health, as well as “The Windigo Psychosis: Psychodynamic, Cultural, and Social Factors in Aberrant Behavior,” by Thomas H Hay. These articles analyze mental illness found in different societies and aim to determine if these illnesses are culturally legitimate or if these individuals are just seen as “ill” through western eyes. The articles discussed demonstrate iconic anthropological and psychological ideas of the late 20th century, while also demystifying unique cultural …show more content…
The influence of the third force grew throughout the 1960s through 1980s. It offered a new process in understanding human nature, created a vast new horizon of methods of inquiry in the study of human behavior, as well as increased methods within the practice of psychotherapy (Simply Psychology). Humanistic psychology is a world view as well as an applied psychological approach. Both the article by Silverman and the article by Hay exhibit this third force psychology. In discussing shamanism, Silverman acknowledges that these spiritual men have their own unique behavior, according to their own subjective conscious worldview. He states that “shamanism is regarded as a total psychological adjustment to a condition of extreme threat,” or an attempt to make sense of their environment (Silverman 1967, 25). An emphasis is placed on the fact that a shaman 's “abnormal” behavior, similar to the behaviors of schizophrenics, is the result of a specific psychological process, rather than pressure placed on the individual by society. Thomas Hay also utilizes humanistic psychology within “The Windigo Psychosis.” He determines that the impulse to cannibalism depends on the desire for some particular outcome (Hay 1971, 3). This behavioral change is up to the individual’s own free will, it is not predetermined. Although he does