Moi perdu ou Moi retrouvé dans l'expérience charismatique : perplexité des psychologues / Lost Ego or Found Ego in the Charismatic Expérience : an Enigma for Psychologists - article ; n°1 ; vol.40, pg 31-52

Archives des sciences sociales des religions - Année 1975 - Volume 40 - Numéro 1 - Pages 31-52
This report was requested for discussion at the interdisciplinary plenary session of the 13th International Conference of Religious Sociology (Lloret de Mar, Spain, Sept 4s 1975). It first underlines some of the differences between the sociological and the psychological approach of the contemporary charismatic phenomenon. If the psychology of the charismatic experience is expressed in terms of desire, subjectivity, language, and an eventual regression to on-language glossolalia), the method of biographical conversations (C.L Harper) is too strongly contaminated by an artificial reconstruction of the past to determine its object scientifically. As for the study of personality features typical of sympathizers of the Pentecostal Movement (W.W. Wood) it too leaves aside what appears to be essential for the psychology of the phenomenon under study, namely the interactions experienced within the group and between group and leader. Basing his remarks on personal observations and lengthy conversations with ten well known leaders, the rapporteur shows how the systematic avoidance of clashes in the charismatic assemblies leads to and maintains both jubilant spontaneity which is attributed to the immediacy of the Spirit's presence, and mute frustrations which lead some of the participants to demonstrations of glossolalias. The understanding of these latter manifestations has progressed rapidly during the last five years by means of various analyses, phonetic (F.D Goodman), linguistic (W.J. Samarin), and lastly psychological (J.P.Kildhal). The observations of the last named researchers are briefly outlined.
In conclusion the theoretical concept of regression in the service of the Ego is discussed in order to account for the tension between the desire for highly differentiated communications leading inevitably to psychological divergences and socio-political confrontations and more elementary nedd which uses energies in purely expressive and semantically a-historical demonstrations
22 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.