Cognitive polyphasia in the representation of mental illness in groups with different religious mentalities

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of cognitive polyphasia in the representation of mentally ill people by religious groups of society. The aim of the study was the manifestation of cognitive polyphasia in the structure of social representations (SP) about mental illness in groups of Orthodox Christians and Muslims. The sample consisted of Muslims – N = 111 (men – 53, women – 58 people) and Orthodox Christians – N = 114 (men – 49 people, women – 65 people) living in Moscow. The following methods were used: the author's questionnaire, which included 29 statements, the modified scale of D. Feldes' “Psychological distanceˮ, the modified method “Incomplete sentencesˮ, the method “Bubblesˮ. The inconsistency of the SP regarding mental illness is revealed when analyzing the responses of the author's questionnaire aimed at identifying the content of the JV: the core of the representations in both groups of respondents contained sympathetic statements, but the results of the projective techniques “Incomplete Sentencesˮ, “Bubblesˮ demonstrate the predominance of negatively colored elements (fear of infection, aggressive actions of suicide of patients, unpredictability and inadequacy of behavior). Thus, there is reason to assert that the SP about mentally ill people is distinguished by cognitive polyphasia, i. e., the coexistence of modern knowledge about mental illness with archaic images of the disease.