Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 5, 2026

Rapid Fractionation and Isolation of Whole Blood Components in Samples Obtained from a Community-based Setting
Published on: November 30, 2015
Culture, Psychiatry and Epigenetics
1School of Arts and Communication, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. wolfgang.mastnak@hmtm.de.
Abstract:
Regarding the methodology of ethnopsychiatric research, for example, on the Vietnamese Mo Mường's burial rituals or the health-promoting and healing effects of the Chinese Tujia dances, three different approaches can be distinguished: phenomenological-descriptive methods, hermeneutic-interpretive techniques and studies on underlying mechanisms such as hypnotherapeutic or neuroendocrine dynamics. Since epigenetics has shown that cultural and artistic experiences can influence gene expression and genetic functioning, even across generations, the article argues for greater consideration of epigenetics in medical anthropology and ethnopsychiatry. Epigenetic dynamics can significantly influence health promoting and healing effects of rituals in ethnic traditions and determine an individual's responsiveness to such practices. In this context, the interplay between genetics and epigenetics, various concepts of the collective unconscious, transcultural psychiatry, culturally sensitive arts therapies, and issues of migration and transcultural identities are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Introduction to Biological Bases of Psychology
The nervous system, the cornerstone of...
Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences
Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within the...
