This book investigates possession and possession-trance. While the author focuses on a case study of Haiti, there are also a handful of cross cultural tests performed. Results suggest that societal complexity is associated with belief in possession-trance, rather than possession alone.

Anthropologists have claimed that possession trance– an altered state of consciousness from spirit possession– is a psychosocial phenomenon. In particular, they argue that it is related to levels of social complexity, rigidity, and separation in gender participation. The author tests this claim through Bayesian hierarchical generalized linear models and phylogenetic comparative methods, but finds that possession trance is only correlated with social complexity and rigidity, not separation in gender participation.

This book investigates possession and possession-trance. While the author focuses on a case study of Haiti, there are also a handful of cross cultural tests performed. Results suggest that societal complexity is associated with belief in possession-trance, rather than possession alone.

This book investigates possession and possession-trance. While the author focuses on a case study of Haiti, there are also a handful of cross cultural tests performed. Results suggest that societal complexity is associated with belief in possession-trance, rather than possession alone.

This book investigates possession and possession-trance. While the author focuses on a case study of Haiti, there are also a handful of cross cultural tests performed. Results suggest that societal complexity is associated with belief in possession-trance, rather than possession alone.

This book investigates possession and possession-trance. While the author focuses on a case study of Haiti, there are also a handful of cross cultural tests performed. Results suggest that societal complexity is associated with belief in possession-trance, rather than possession alone.

This article retests several hypotheses from Swanson’s (1960) study on the origins of religious belief. The author finds support for an association between high gods and large communities, multiple levels of political hierarchy, and social differentiation. No support is found for Swanson’s other hypotheses concerning polytheism, ancestral spirits, reincarnation, the soul, witchcraft, and morality and their relations to social, political, and economic variables.

This study examines correlates of trance and possession in pre-industrial societies. Results suggest that the presence of trance/possession is associated with subsistence, number of jurisdictional levels, and community decision-making.

This study examines correlates of trance and possession in pre-industrial societies. Results suggest that the presence of trance/possession is associated with subsistence, number of jurisdictional levels, and community decision-making.

This study examines correlates of trance and possession in pre-industrial societies. Results suggest that the presence of trance/possession is associated with subsistence, number of jurisdictional levels, and community decision-making.