11/20/2024 (Wed) 17:24 No.5910 del
>What delusions can tell us about the cognitive nature of belief

Based on evidence from delusions and other psychological disciplines, we offered a tentative five-stage cognitive model of belief formation.

As part of her condition, Natalie reported several delusions, including the belief that strangers were her parents-in-law in disguise (known as Fregoli delusion). Natalie recovered quickly with treatment. The combination of interviews and observations while she was experiencing the delusions and her later retrospective account offered a unique window into the onset and experience of her delusions.

Following a full recovery, Natalie confirmed that she considered her delusions to be strongly held beliefs. She likened them to her conviction that her husband was her husband. This is contrary to some views that suggested that delusions are different from normal beliefs.

More generally, Natalie’s account reveals commonalities between delusions and ordinary beliefs and supports the view that delusions can be understood in terms of cognitive processes across the stages of normal belief formation that we identified.

https://theconversation.com/what-delusions-can-tell-us-about-the-cognitive-nature-of-belief-243627