The three christs of ypsilantiA Review of the literatureIn July 1959, Milton Rokeach conducted a psychological study at the Ypsilanti State Hospital in Michigan. This study followed three paranoid schizophrenics who all claimed to have something very important in common. Clyde Benson, Joseph Cassel, and Leon Gabor (who refused to answer to anything but Rex) each claimed to be Jesus Christ. This text documented the two years during the study. Rokeach attempted to maximize inter-Christ contact by assigning the three men to adjacent beds in Ward D-23, assigning them adjacent seats in the dining area, and arranging for them to work side-by-side in the laundry room. On one occasion, Rokeach asked the group why they were in the hospital, Clyde claimed that he owned the building and nearby lands, and that he stayed on as caretaker. Joseph explained that the hospital was an English stronghold, and that he was there to defend it. Leon, was the only one to acknowledge that he himself was a mental patient, but he stopped short of admitting to delusion. He blamed some ambiguous, jealous persecutors for subjecting him to the torment of a mental ward. Dr. Rokeach finally brought the Three Christs experiment to an end on August 15th 1961, just over two years after the first meeting of Clyde, Joseph, and Leon. None of the patients had improved, although by the time Rokeach departed Leon had indeed renounced his claim to being Jesus Christ. Instead he insisted upon being referred to as "Dr. Righteous Idealized Dung." He had also came to believe that he was one of the “Yeti people”.
The Psychology behind it allWhen taking a look at the text, the main idea appears to be the question of what happens when we are confronted with the unconscionable idea that there is another person who claims the same identity as ourselves. This book also demonstrates key principles in human relations and how these three men interacted with one another, and also with the three other women who were introduced later on in the study. I do disagree with some of the methods that Dr. Rokeach used with the men, such as the use of written text which made the men fully confront there delusions. I personally believed that in theory having them confront their claimed “identities” was necessary, the way it was executed appeared more like mental torture. Dr. Rokeach would subject the men to confront the contradiction of who they were through provided text, which in the end proved to be ineffective.
Objective or SubjectiveThe book is very research based due to the fact that it is entirely combined of Rokeach's field notes, tape recordings, medical documentations of the patients, and is overall the retelling of the study in book form. I do believe that it is possible that some of the book is told through a grandiose view of his own work. It also has a slight bias in that Dr. Rokeach is ideally hoping to, in some way, cure all three men of their delusions.
Aspects of Human RelationsIn the end it breaks down to certain components within our textbook. In this section I will be referring to Chapter 5, page 105 – page 108; as well as Chapter 9, pages 190 – page 193 along with page 197 – page 198.
Personal Values an Ethical Choices (Chapter 5, p105 – p108)
Ethics: Principles that define behavior as right, good, and proper; as defined by the textbook, it is where we draw the line on what behavior we classify as a cultural norm. These men defiantly do not fit into the category of what we would call the “norm”. At the same time they do carry strong ethical choices due to the heavy influence of the bible. The contradiction is the way they conduct their personal values. Clyde had turned to alcohol during his downward spiral into his delusion, while Joseph became increasingly violent. Both these men on some level believed that their values had not been compromised by these actions, but found it wrong for others to act in the manner which they had.
Factors That Influence Our Emotional Development (Chapter 9, p190 – p193)
All three men also had very different ways in which they coped with the stress of the study and came from very different backrounds. Clyde grew up as a farmer without much money. On the other hand Leroy was educated although he chose to leave college. Last of all Joseph was a failed writer who became institutionalized after several violent out bursts.
Emotional Styles (Chapter 9, p197 - p198)
Joseph was the one of the three to respond more passionately and heatedly towards the events during the two years that the study ran. Leroy, on the other hand, when faced with confrontation he would very rarely break and would respond with logic and philosophics, Clyde had more of a physiological response over all he would become clearly unnerved at what was happening around him. Each showed a different form of emotional expression. Clyde appeared to suppress his emotion and let them swirl within him. Joseph would over express his emotions thus leading to angry outbursts during the study. Leroy found comfort in catapulting his emotions, always claiming that it was another person's fault that he was in the hospital.
Why Was It Written
This text was written to show an inside look at something that is inconceivable, the idea that someone could hare the exact same identity as our self. Even the three Christs could not except this. At their very first meeting, after being faced with the subject found a way to compromise. One became the reincarnation of Jesus; another claimed to be the soul of Jesus; the last chose that he was the embodiment of God, Jesus, and the Holy ghost. Rokeach believed that since you are “you” no one else can claim the same identity. It actually seems like a haunting thought to imagine another person claiming to be the same identity that you have spent your whole life creating and for them to actually believe it.
What to Take Away From This
In the end no man was fully cured of their delusions and this text let us have a look at a fascinating idea of what exactly is our own identity and self-awareness is another person can hardheartedly believe that they are you. Though I personally do not agree with all the methods used by Dr. Rokeach, I think that other people would find this book as interesting as I did.
