Latah
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Latah is a condition of hyperstartling found in southeast Asia that is commonly considered a culture-specific syndrome. It is also the name for those with the condition, which is found mainly in adult women. The afflicted have a severe reaction to being surprised in which they lose control of their behavior, mimic the speech and actions of those around them and obey any commands given them. Latahs are generally not considered responsible for their actions during these episodes.
Similar conditions have been recorded within other cultures and locations, such as French-Canadian lumberjacks in Maine (Jumping Frenchmen of Maine), the Ainu of Japan (imu), Siberia (miryachit), and Yemen (also latah); however, the connection between these syndromes has been controversial.[1]
Latahs are a recurring theme in William S. Burroughs' writings.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Winzeler, Robert L. [1995]. Latah in Southeast Asia: The History and Ethnography of a Culture-bound Syndrome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 33-51. ISBN 0521440777. Retrieved on 2008-02-26.
[edit] External links
- Introduction to Culture-Bound Syndromes, by Ronald C. Simons, Psychiatric Times, November 2001, Vol. XVIII, Issue 11
- Skeptical Inquirer - Culture-bound syndromes as fakery
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