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What Would Mary Douglas Do? A Commentary on Kahan et al., “Cultural Cognition and Public Policy: The Case of Outpatient Commitment Laws”

What Would Mary Douglas Do? A Commentary on Kahan et al., “Cultural Cognition and Public Policy:... Involuntary outpatient commitment is a highly controversial issue in mental health law. Strong supporters of outpatient commitment see it as a form of access to community-based mental health care and a less restrictive alternative to hospitalization for people with severe mental illness; vocal opponents see it as an instrument of social control and an unwarranted deprivation of individual liberty. Kahan and colleagues apply the theory of “cultural cognition” in an empirical study of how cultural worldviews influence support for outpatient commitment laws among the general public and shape perceptions of evidence for these laws’ effectiveness. This article critiques Kahan et al. and offers an alternative perspective on the controversy, emphasizing particular social facts underlying stakeholders’ positions on outpatient commitment laws. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Law and Human Behavior Springer Journals

What Would Mary Douglas Do? A Commentary on Kahan et al., “Cultural Cognition and Public Policy: The Case of Outpatient Commitment Laws”

Law and Human Behavior , Volume 34 (3) – May 22, 2009

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References (22)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by American Psychology-Law Society/Division 41 of the American Psychological Association
Subject
Psychology; Community and Environmental Psychology; Personality and Social Psychology; Criminology & Criminal Justice; Law and Psychology
ISSN
0147-7307
eISSN
1573-661X
DOI
10.1007/s10979-009-9184-x
pmid
19462224
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Involuntary outpatient commitment is a highly controversial issue in mental health law. Strong supporters of outpatient commitment see it as a form of access to community-based mental health care and a less restrictive alternative to hospitalization for people with severe mental illness; vocal opponents see it as an instrument of social control and an unwarranted deprivation of individual liberty. Kahan and colleagues apply the theory of “cultural cognition” in an empirical study of how cultural worldviews influence support for outpatient commitment laws among the general public and shape perceptions of evidence for these laws’ effectiveness. This article critiques Kahan et al. and offers an alternative perspective on the controversy, emphasizing particular social facts underlying stakeholders’ positions on outpatient commitment laws.

Journal

Law and Human BehaviorSpringer Journals

Published: May 22, 2009

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