In this review article of cultural aspects of delusion, the author attempted to construe theoretical models of cultural influences in the genesis of delusion and in the formation of delusional contents.
Vulnerability to delusion would be originated from biomedical factor. Unusual experience such as loosening of association, blocking and insertion of thought could be attributed to the biomedical situation. But patients' intellectual ability and
knowledge to elaborate and organize the unusual experience to the delusion would be culture-influenced. For example, simple schizophrenia is common in the undercivilized strata, whereas paranoid schizophrenia is prevalent in the civilized strata.
Regarding the contents of delusion, patients project their inner conflict unto the external objects according to cultural expectation or suggestion, compromizing the inner need and the cultural expectation, Thus, the patients apt to take
conventional
ways and seek cultural compensation. Delusion of possession in shamanistic society, delusion of guilt in different cultures and Korean students' common delusion of being persecuted by secret agent were interpreted in terms of cultural mechanisms
of
content formation of delusion.
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