Exorcism has been used to treat abnormal behaviour since ancient time…

Exorcism has been used to treat abnormal behaviour since ancient times. What does it mean?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (3) → Removing evil forces from an individual through countermagic and prayer

Option	Reason
Option (1): A type of therapy involving talking to spirits. Incorrect.	Talking to spirits is the role of a medium between spirits and human beings. In many societies a person believed to have contact with supernatural forces plays this role.
Option (2): The process of identifying the biological causes of abnormal behaviour. Incorrect.	Finding biological causes belongs to the biological view, which links abnormal behaviour to the working of the body and brain.
Option (3): Removing evil forces from an individual through countermagic and prayer. Correct.	Exorcism means removing the evil that resides in a person through countermagic and prayer. It grows from the old belief that evil spirits or the devil cause abnormal behaviour.
Option (4): The practice of seeking guidance from shamans. Incorrect.	The shaman, or medicine man (ojha), is believed to have contact with supernatural forces. Through the shaman, an afflicted person learns which spirits cause the problem and how to appease them.

NCERT (2026-27): “Historical Background
To understand psychological disorders, we would require a brief historical account of how these disorders have been viewed over the ages. When we study the history of abnormal psychology, we find that certain theories have occurred over and over again. One ancient theory that is still encountered today holds that abnormal behaviour can be explained by the operation of supernatural and magical forces such as evil spirits (bhoot-pret), or the devil (shaitan). Exorcism, i.e. removing the evil that resides in the individual through countermagic and prayer, is still commonly used. In many societies, the shaman, or medicine man (ojha) is a person who is believed to have contact with supernatural forces and is the medium through which spirits communicate with human beings. Through the shaman, an afflicted person can learn which spirits are responsible for her/his problems and what needs to be done to appease them.”

Exorcism has been used to treat abnormal behaviour since ancient times. What does it mean?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (3) → Removing evil forces from an individual through countermagic and prayer

Option	Reason
Option (1): A type of therapy involving talking to spirits. Incorrect.	Talking to spirits is the role of a medium between spirits and human beings. In many societies a person believed to have contact with supernatural forces plays this role.
Option (2): The process of identifying the biological causes of abnormal behaviour. Incorrect.	Finding biological causes belongs to the biological view, which links abnormal behaviour to the working of the body and brain.
Option (3): Removing evil forces from an individual through countermagic and prayer. Correct.	Exorcism means removing the evil that resides in a person through countermagic and prayer. It grows from the old belief that evil spirits or the devil cause abnormal behaviour.
Option (4): The practice of seeking guidance from shamans. Incorrect.	The shaman, or medicine man (ojha), is believed to have contact with supernatural forces. Through the shaman, an afflicted person learns which spirits cause the problem and how to appease them.