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At issue: are traditional societies schizophrenogenic?
1Dept. of Anthropology, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Schizophrenia Bulletin
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Traditional societies may be more schizophrenogenic than Westernized ones, leading to less severe schizophrenia initially but lower prevalence long-term due to genetic selection. This challenges existing theories on schizophrenia development.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Cultural Anthropology
- Sociology
Background:
- Schizophrenia prevalence and severity differ across societies.
- Previous theories cite environmental stressors in Westernized populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose traditional societies are schizophrenogenic.
- To explain lower schizophrenia prevalence in traditional societies.
Main Methods:
- Multifactorial threshold model for schizophrenia.
- Analysis of social demands and network size in traditional societies.
Main Results:
- Traditional societies may have a lower threshold for schizophrenia development.
- Short-term: more less-severe cases. Long-term: negative selection reduces prevalence.
- Greater social demands and limited social network variability contribute.
Conclusions:
- Traditional societies may be relatively schizophrenogenic.
- This explains lower long-term prevalence through genetic selection.
- Social factors in traditional settings may influence schizophrenia development.