| Throughout much of human history, information derived from spiritual altered states of consciousness has been used as a basis for esoteric belief systems, a process which persists in contemporary secular society despite the overwhelming social force of rational empiricism. This study explores the spiritual altered states phenomenon at four points: the individual experience from which beliefs are constructed, the group interaction through which claims about experiences are adjudicated, the organizational appropriation of spiritual authority to advance goals, and the broadest social effects observed across American society.; Ethnophenomenological accounts of Neopagan spirit possession lead to a definition of psychism as perceptions of psychic intrusions into the stream of consciousness that are interpreted by the actor as not originating within the self's normal information channels. These intrusions are experienced as information or behaviors, which depending on the actor's attitude regarding the social response, are accorded an authenticity that is equivalent to empirical experience and an authority that supercedes empirically derived beliefs. Ethnographic and archival data suggest that esoteric culture's automatic acceptance of spiritual authority leads to an epistemological framework that focuses on authenticating claims of psychism and validating the interpretation of the message by considering the social position of the claimant and the structure of the claim.; Nonrecursive models using General Social Survey data support the assertion that psychism intensifies certain spiritual beliefs, while reducing conformist religious beliefs and communal practices and enhancing autonomous beliefs and private practices. These models differentiate psychism from schizotypy, but suggest a continuum of thought processes from “normal” to schizophrenic based on the processing of intrusions. Ultimately, psychism increases secondary relationships at the expense of intimate relationships, reduces happiness and perceptions of overall health, increases volunteerism while decreasing participation in organized religion, and reduces confidence in rationalized social institutions. |
