Glossary D

Glossary D

Delusional disorder refers to a psychotic disorder marked by severe delusions of grandeur, jealousy, persecution, or similar preoccupations; a psychotic disorder marked by a single striking psychotic symptom, an oraganized system of fixed, bizarre false belief, and persistent belief contrary to reality (delusion) but no other symptoms of schizophrenia, such as hallucinations, affective flattening, and additional symptoms of a thought disorder.

delusions refer to disturbances in thinking involving disordered thought content and strong beliefs that are misrepresentations of reality.

Delusions of control refer to the false belief that one’s thoughts and actions are being controlled by other people or forces.

Delusions of grandeur refer to the false belief that one is famous, powerful or important.

Delusions of persecution refers to the false belief that other people are plotting against one.

Delusions of reference is when affected individuals have an irrational belief that they are the object of discussion among others or that messages broadcast through the media are intended for them.

Demagogue also spelled Demagog refers to a person who appeals to the prejudices and emotions of the people to gain power.

Demand characteristics refer to cues in an experiment that tell the participant what behavior is expected. It is a term used in psychology experiments to describe a cue that makes participants aware of what the experimenter expects to find or how participants are expected to behave.