Magical Thinking in Severe Grief Reactions

Download or read book Magical Thinking in Severe Grief Reactions written by Christian Lönneker and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-01-08 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Christian Lönneker systematically explores the phenomenon of magical thinking in the context of severe grief reactions focusing on intrusive forms reported by bereaved individuals seeking professional support. The author succeeds in proposing a comprehensive definition of magical thinking and a rationale for its association with grief based on various disciplines, such as psychology, anthropology, and the cognitive science of religion. Within the scope of a grounded theory study, case reports comprise themes like bringing the deceased back to life, the magical efficacy of religious rituals, and attempts to ward off harmful influences of the dead.