Stress and sorcery in three social groups.
The hypothesis that stress factors associated with culture change are related to higher levels of belief in sorcery is tested here. It is hypothesized that these beliefs function as a "culturally constituted defense mechanism" for individuals as a means of coping with stressors. The hypothesis is tested in three different social groups, using two different measures of stress factors associated with culture change. The general proposition receives substantial empirical support, although the direction of the relationship is reversed in one case. The importance of the results and suggestions for future research are discussed.
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000407:Alabama; D003237:Connecticut; D003469:Culture; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D006801:Humans; D008273:Magic; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D012922:Social Change; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D014900:West Indies