Volume : 12, Issue : 1, JAN 2026

UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANISM OF DISSOCIATIVE DISORDERS: NARRATIVE REVIEW

RISHABH JAIN,MEGHAL GULATI, ANKUSH SHARMA

Abstract

Anthropological approaches to trance and possession have predominantly relied on antiquated psychodynamic models or have interpreted these dissociative experiences merely as discursive processes, assigning actions and sensations to external entities rather than the self. In psychology and psychiatry, the comprehension of dissociative disorders has been impeded by   contentious "either/or" debates: either dissociative disorders represent genuine, spontaneous changes in brain states indicative of fundamental neurobiological processes, or they are contrived, socially constructed performances shaped by interpersonal expectations, power dynamics, and cultural narratives. This study provides a framework for comprehending dissociative phenomena, such as trance, possession, and spiritual and healing practices, by synthesizing neurological mechanisms with sociocultural processes of narrative formation and social self-presentation. This integrative model, based on cultural neuroscience, may enhance ethnographic research on dissociation and improve clinical procedures by meticulously examining the influence of social context.

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IESRJ

International Educational Scientific Research Journal

E-ISSN: 2455-295X

International Indexed Journal | Multi-Disciplinary Refereed Research Journal

ISSN: 2455-295X

Peer-Reviewed Journal - Equivalent to UGC Approved Journal

Peer-Reviewed Journal

Article No : 25

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