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Deception through self-deception: Take a look at somatoform disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2011

Alfonso Troisi
Alfonso Troisi
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroscience, University of RomeTor Vergata, 00161 Rome, Italy. alfonso.troisi@uniroma2.it
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Abstract

Patients with physical symptoms for which no organic cause can be found are distributed along a continuum of disease simulation that ranges from a sincere belief of having a serious disease to intentional presentation of false symptoms. The evolutionary hypothesis that self-deception improves the deception of others can explain such a combination of unconscious and intentional production of physical symptoms.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , February 2011 , pp. 39 - 40
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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