Chinese People Sorcery Prototype And Its Typical Psychological Appease Effect Study

Magic is part of the Chinese traditional custom, it plays a great role through the ages. So far, because of its history and mystique, there are still many phenomena which can not be explained by modern science. Based on this, plenty of experts on religion, folklore, psychology and anthropology did a lot of researches in this field. However, almost all the psychologists focused on psychotherapy, and most of the papers were literature review. According to the situation of researches, two studies were conducted in this thesis to talk about the prototype, the soothing and consoling effect of magic using empirical method from the angle of psychology.Studyl:A research was conducted by prototype listing and content analysis, in order to make a preliminary study on magic of Chinese people. First the subjects list the prototype of the magic which came to their mind, and then they were asked to answer an open-ended question. After the generalization, the results show that:(1) Chinese people's implicit concept of magic includes five parts, they are the people who use magic, the things which represent magic, the works reflect magic and the attitudes toward magic. These can be divided into twelve categories, including health healing and promotion, exorcise evil spirits and disaster, funerals and communion with ghosts, human relations, weather controlling and things changing, godliness and blessing, predicting, other forms, witches and wizards, representative words, media products and literary works and attitudes. (2) There are some differences on gender, living areas, and grades. (3) Magic takes effect through some aspects of mind, most of the people tend to have a dialectical opinion, which is the guide to a conservative way of faith. (4) Magic has some functions such as psychological suggestion, psychological catharsis, metaphor and symbolization, psychological sense of control and psychological comfort, so as to play a therapeutic effect.Study2:An in-depth interview was carried out to go into a typical magic form of amulet-wearing. The results indicate that:(1) magic makes people feel at ease as it can accompany its owners and embodies people's beautiful aspirations, which are all the soothing and consoling effect which actually works. The precondition of the effect is based on the vivid ritual. (2) People tend to wear amulet in four conditions use:when particular things take place, when they are influenced by others, when parents and relatives give best wishes to their children and when they are after good fortune, but some people say that they don't believe in the amulet. It exactly reveals the state of mind which makes people pursue good fortune and avoid disaster, such behavior is the following of the tradition. (3) The amulet are specific, they have long history and are well received. (4) The essence of the traditional folk beliefs must be made good use to serve people.In all, two studies of this thesis are done in the aspect of psychology, the aims are as follows: Firstly, this thesis makes people gain a better understanding of magic, and thus, direct their actions. Secondly, It broaden the road and the horizon of the psychology localization, in order to form the psychology with Chinese characteristics.