Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Background. Emotion, especially anxiety, has been implicated in triggering hallucinations. Reasoning processes are also likely to influence the judgments that lead to hallucinatory experiences. We report an investigation of the prediction of hallucinatory predisposition by emotion and associated processes (anxiety, depression, stress, self-focused attention) and reasoning (need for closure, extreme responding). Method. Data were analysed from a questionnaire survey in a student population (N = 327). Results. Higher levels of anxiety, self-focus, and extreme responding were associated with hallucinatory predisposition. Interactions between these three variables did not strengthen the predictive effect of each. Depression, stress, and need for closure were not found to be predictors of hallucinatory experience in the regression analysis. Conclusion. Emotional and reasoning processes may both need to be considered in the understanding of hallucinatory experience. © 2005 The British Psychological Society.

Original publication

DOI

10.1348/014466504X20044

Type

Journal article

Journal

British Journal of Clinical Psychology

Publication Date

01/03/2005

Volume

44

Pages

127 - 132