Behavioural Perspectives On a Sri Lankan Healing Ritual

Annie Bartlett
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Annie Bartlett: Interim Secure Unit, Hackney Hospital, Homerton High Street, London E9 6BE, UK

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 1989, vol. 35, issue 3, 245-251

Abstract: The paper briefly discusses the way different disciplines have approached the study of illness and healing crossculturally. The theoretical advantages and difficulties of using a behavioural perspective are then outlined. This is then applied to the Sanni Demon ritual of the Sinhalese Buddhists; this ceremony is used to end demonic possession. It is acknowledged that the anthropological and psychoanalytic analyses are useful but it is also shown that the ritual constitutes behavioural treatment. The implications of this in relation to universalistic ideas of normal and abnormal are discussed.

Date: 1989
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:35:y:1989:i:3:p:245-251

DOI: 10.1177/002076408903500305

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