title: Latah: the symbolism of a putative mental disorder.
abstract: This paper examines the symbolic properties and cultural relevance of latah, a behavioral state noted in Malay and Indonesia since the 19th Century. Most interpretations of latah have been psychological, latah being perceived as a 'mental disorder.' In the following, it is concluded that latah is intimately related to other aspects of Malayo-Indonesian culture and that it is a well-known cultural pattern and not a mental disorder as such, though it may occur among persons, largely women, in a socially and psychologically marginal situation. Latah is a symbolic representation of marginality, and it is as appropriate to certain mythological and religious figures to the socially marginal.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D008296:Malaysia; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013216:Reflex, Startle; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D012923:Social Class; D012931:Social Environment