Hysteria: its nature and explanation

Abstract

Hysteria is a concept that has led to much confusion and controversy. It is argued that a phenomenon exists which needs to be explained. The main contemporary approaches to hysteria are considered and all are shown to have serious weaknesses. It is argued that the illness behaviour/sick role model does have at least heuristic value in that it leads to asking a rather different set of questions about hysteria which should prove more amenable to experimental investigation. It also avoids the logical difficulties inherent in most of the alternative theories.