Applying Sociocultural Theory to Explain Cognitive Development of the Queer Mediums in Southeast Asia
Journal of Social sciences Naresuan University June 23, 2026 Patcharin Sirasoonthorn
Trance rituals performed by gender-diverse spirit mediums in Southeast Asia serve as cultural tools that restructure cognition and social identity. Spirit mediumship shifts marginalized individuals to sacred agency, provides a neural buffer against chronic minority stress by regulating cortisol and protecting the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, and realigns self-perception from alienation to interconnectedness. The rise of "Digital More Knowledgeable Others" on social media democratizes access to esoteric knowledge. The research challenges Western-centric secularization and argues that indigenous spiritual systems are cognitive scaffolds fostering psychological resilience and redistributing social agency, offering a framework for inclusive, gender-sensitive sustainable development.