Which term best describes a belief one is under police surveillance despite lack of evidence?

Which term best describes a belief one is under police surveillance despite lack of evidence?

• A. Delusions of Control
• B. Non-bizarre delusions
• C. Hallucinations
• D. Negativism

Answer: (B)

This item tests persecutory delusions, a fixed belief that one is being harmed, watched, or conspired against. Believing that police are monitoring you despite no evidence fits this pattern because it describes a plausible form of persecution that could occur in real life, which makes it non-bizarre. Delusions are firmly held beliefs resistant to contrary evidence, and a persecutory belief centers on being unjustly targeted or surveilled rather than on a sensory experience. In contrast, a belief about external forces controlling one’s thoughts or actions is a delusion of control, not a surveillance belief. Hallucinations involve perceiving something sensory that isn’t present, not a belief about being watched. Negativism refers to opposition or passive resistance, not a delusional belief. So the best match is non-bizarre delusions.

This item tests persecutory delusions, a fixed belief that one is being harmed, watched, or conspired against. Believing that police are monitoring you despite no evidence fits this pattern because it describes a plausible form of persecution that could occur in real life, which makes it non-bizarre. Delusions are firmly held beliefs resistant to contrary evidence, and a persecutory belief centers on being unjustly targeted or surveilled rather than on a sensory experience. In contrast, a belief about external forces controlling one’s thoughts or actions is a delusion of control, not a surveillance belief. Hallucinations involve perceiving something sensory that isn’t present, not a belief about being watched. Negativism refers to opposition or passive resistance, not a delusional belief. So the best match is non-bizarre delusions.