THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SATANIC CULT INVOLVEMENT: AN ...

PART TWO: THEORIES OF SATANIC CULT INVOLVEMENT 53
Chapter Four: Realist theories ofsatanic cult involvement
Introduction 54
4.1 Political destabilisation and radical social transition 54
4.2 Spiritual alienation 56
4.3 The urge to self-transcendence 57
4.4 Dysfunctional family dynamics 58
4.5 Predisposing personality factors 60
4.6 Identity confusion/diffusion and the adoption ofa negative identity 62
Summary 69
Chapter Five: Constructionist explanations ofsatanic phenomena
Introduction 70
5.1 Subversion myths and counter-subversion ideologies 70
5.2 The Antisatanism Movement 72
5.3 Satanism as a scapegoat for declining parental influence 78
5.4 Accounting for survivor narratives 80
Summary 83
PART THREE: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DEMONIC POSSESSION AND INVOCATION
IN THE CONTEXT OF SATANIC PACTS 84
Chapter 6: The psychology of demonic possession
Introduction 85
6.1 Definition and nature 'ofdemonic possession 85
6.2 Theological history ofpossession 87
6.3 Possession symptoms 87
6.4 Voluntary possession (demonic invocation) 90
6.5 Demonic possession and its diagnostic status 90
6.6 Psychological theories ofpossession states
6.6.1 Hypnotism, hysteria and the perception ofdemons as 'subconscious ideas 95
6.6.2 Organic psychiatric interpretations 98
6.6.3 Cultural influence theories ofpossession 98
6.6.4 Psychodynamic theories 102
6.6.5 Parapsychological theory 103
Summary 104
Chapter 7: Classical psychoanalysis and demonic possession
Introduction 106
7.1 Freudis psychoanalytic model ofreligion 107
7.1.1 Infantile helplessness as the unconscious source ofreligious belief. 108
7.1.2 The human father as the prototype ofthe supernatural god 110
7.1.3 The superego as intrapsychic nucleus for the image ofGod III
7. 1.4 Religion as a social form ofobsessional neurosis 112
7.2 Satan, demonic pacts, and demonic possession in classical psychoanalysis 116
7.3 Freudian interpretation in historical analyses ofdiabolic witchcraft and satanisffi I27
Summary 129