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AIIMS Bhatinda NO - 2019
Mental Health Nursing
Easy

False sensory perception in the absence of real external stimuli is called?

Appeared in: AIIMS Bhatinda NO - 2019

Explanation

  • The question describes a sensory perception that is false and occurs without any real, external trigger.
  • This is the textbook definition of a hallucination, which is a perception in the absence of a corresponding sensory stimulus.
  • Hallucinations can involve any of the five senses (auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, gustatory).
  • Unlike an illusion, there is no external object or event to be misperceived; the perception is generated entirely within the individual's mind.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: An illusion is a misinterpretation or misperception of a real external stimulus. The stimulus exists, but the brain perceives it incorrectly.
  • Option C: Depersonalization is a disturbance in self-perception, where a person feels detached from their own body or mental processes. It is a feeling of unreality about oneself, not a false sensory perception of the external world.
  • Option D: A delusion is a disorder of thought content, not perception. It is a fixed, false belief that is held firmly despite evidence to the contrary.

Related Visual

A flowchart visually differentiating between Hallucination no stimulus - perception, Illusion real stimulus - misinterpreted perception, and Delusion a false belief system...
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definitions of perceptual and thought disorders in psychiatry as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Accurately identifying and documenting the type of perceptual disturbance is a critical nursing skill for diagnosis and treatment planning, especially in psychiatric and neurological care.
  • Patient safety is a primary concern. For example, command hallucinations (voices telling the patient to harm themselves or others) are a psychiatric emergency requiring immediate intervention.
  • What if? If a patient in a dimly lit room points to a coat on a rack and says 'There's a man standing there,' the nurse should identify this as an illusion, not a hallucination. The assessment focuses on clarifying the misinterpretation of a real object rather than a perception with no stimulus.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, break down the question stem into its core components: 1) 'False sensory perception' and 2) 'in the absence of real external stimuli'.
  • Review the options and recall the specific definition for each term.
  • The key differentiator is the presence or absence of a 'real external stimulus'.
  • Match the definition in the stem to the correct term. 'Absence of stimulus' points directly to hallucination.
  • Eliminate other options based on their definitions: Illusion requires a stimulus, delusion is a belief (not perception), and depersonalization is a disturbance of self-perception.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Definitions of perceptual and thought disorders in psychiatry
  • Stem keywords: False sensory perception, absence of real external stimuli
  • Lead-in keywords: is called
  • Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QXndSzTp18KYca_Lraq2q4

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) pp. 3815-3817, 3250-3252

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