Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:1295-1299
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association

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In search of the true amok: amok as viewed with the Malay culture

JE Carr and EK Tan

In an attempt to discover how the phenomenon of amok is viewed within its indigenous culture, the authors studied and interviewed 21 subjects in West Malaysia who were labeled as amok. This investigation showed that both the subjects and the Malay culture view amok as psychopathology, that amok cases are disposed of in line with this view, and that the behavior of the amok person conforms to social expectations of the phenomenon. Despite cultural proscriptions, however, the act is purposive and motivated and is subtly sanctioned by Malay society.

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