An existential perspective on the psychological function of shamans

Simon Schindler; Jeff Greenberg; Stefan Pfattheicher

doi:10.1017/S0140525X17002163

An existential perspective on the psychological function of shamans

Simon Schindler
, Jeff Greenberg
, Stefan Pfattheicher

Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review

Abstract

Shamans deal with events that involve the threat of death. They help buffer death anxiety because, through their claimed supernatural abilities, they can provide both hope for averting death and evidence for existence of a spirit world offering continuance beyond death. Thus, managing the threat of mortality probably played a major role in the development and maintenance of shamanism.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	e85
Journal	The Behavioral and brain sciences
Volume	41
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X17002163
State	Published - Jan 1 2018

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
Physiology
Behavioral Neuroscience

Access to Document

10.1017/S0140525X17002163

Cite this

@article{66a01b921acd456695ac19170120ba3e,

title = "An existential perspective on the psychological function of shamans",

abstract = "Shamans deal with events that involve the threat of death. They help buffer death anxiety because, through their claimed supernatural abilities, they can provide both hope for averting death and evidence for existence of a spirit world offering continuance beyond death. Thus, managing the threat of mortality probably played a major role in the development and maintenance of shamanism.",

author = "Simon Schindler and Jeff Greenberg and Stefan Pfattheicher",

year = "2018",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1017/S0140525X17002163",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "41",

pages = "e85",

journal = "The Behavioral and brain sciences",

issn = "0140-525X",

publisher = "Cambridge University Press",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - An existential perspective on the psychological function of shamans

AU - Schindler, Simon

AU - Greenberg, Jeff

AU - Pfattheicher, Stefan

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - Shamans deal with events that involve the threat of death. They help buffer death anxiety because, through their claimed supernatural abilities, they can provide both hope for averting death and evidence for existence of a spirit world offering continuance beyond death. Thus, managing the threat of mortality probably played a major role in the development and maintenance of shamanism.

AB - Shamans deal with events that involve the threat of death. They help buffer death anxiety because, through their claimed supernatural abilities, they can provide both hope for averting death and evidence for existence of a spirit world offering continuance beyond death. Thus, managing the threat of mortality probably played a major role in the development and maintenance of shamanism.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85065795028

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85065795028#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1017/S0140525X17002163

DO - 10.1017/S0140525X17002163

M3 - Comment/debate

C2 - 31064473

AN - SCOPUS:85065795028

SN - 0140-525X

VL - 41

SP - e85

JO - The Behavioral and brain sciences

JF - The Behavioral and brain sciences

ER -

An existential perspective on the psychological function of shamans

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this