psychology – Page 3 – LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

Veridical Information, explained:

Veridical information refers to information that is demonstrably accurate and corresponds to real events or facts, especially when the person receiving it should not normally have access to it.

The term is widely used in parapsychology, psychology, and philosophy of mind when evaluating anomalous experiences.

1. Basic Definition

Veridical simply means truthful or corresponding to reality.

So veridical information is:

Information obtained during an experience that can later be objectively verified as correct.

2. Example in Parapsychology

In parapsychology, veridical information often appears in experiences like:

Near-death experiences (NDEs)
After-death communications (ADCs)
Mediumship
Remote viewing
Apparitions

Example:

A person reports seeing a deceased relative during a dream or vision, and the relative communicates:

a specific message
a hidden object
or an unknown family fact

Later, family members confirm the information is accurate but previously unknown to the experiencer.

If verified, researchers call this veridical information.

3. Example in Near-Death Research

In some reported NDEs, patients describe:

conversations in the operating room
objects placed in high locations
events happening outside the room

If hospital staff confirm these details, researchers call it veridical perception during NDE.

4. Importance in Parapsychology

Veridical information is important because it helps researchers distinguish between:

Experience Type	Explanation
Psychological hallucination	internally generated
Memory reconstruction	created after the fact
Super-psi hypothesis	psi functioning of the living mind
Survival of consciousness hypothesis	information from deceased consciousness

Veridical information is considered key evidence in debates about the survival of consciousness after death.

5. In Bereavement Experiences

In grief-related anomalous experiences, a person might receive veridical information such as:

location of lost objects
unknown family information
messages verified later

Researchers studying bereavement-related anomalous experiences sometimes treat such cases as potential evidence for anomalous information transfer.

6. Scientific Caution

Scientists remain cautious because veridical information could also arise from:

coincidence
subconscious inference
Cold Reading
Cryptomnesia
Confirmation Bias

So careful documentation and independent verification are essential.

In simple terms:

Veridical information: accurate information obtained through an unusual experience that later proves to be objectively true.

Shervan K Shahhian

Tactile Hallucinations, explained:

Tactile hallucinations (also called haptic hallucinations) are false sensations of touch that occur without any external physical stimulus. A person genuinely feels something on or under their skin even though nothing is actually there.

In clinical psychology and psychiatry, tactile hallucinations might be classified as a type of somatic sensory hallucination.

Common Types of Tactile Hallucinations

People may report sensations such as:

• Bugs crawling on the skin (called formication)
• Something touching or tapping the body
• Burning or electric sensations
• Pressure or being grabbed
• Feeling something moving under the skin
• Water dripping or wind blowing on the skin

The experience can feel extremely real because the brain’s sensory cortex is producing the perception.

Conditions Associated With Tactile Hallucinations

In clinical contexts they may appear in several conditions:

1. Psychiatric Disorders

Common in:

Schizophrenia
Delusional Parasitosis
Severe Major Depressive Disorder with psychotic features

2. Substance Use or Withdrawal

Tactile hallucinations might occur during intoxication or withdrawal from substances such as:

Cocaine
Methamphetamine
Alcohol (especially during withdrawal or delirium tremens)

3. Neurological Conditions

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They might also occur in neurological disorders

Psychological vs Neurological Mechanism

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From a neuroscience perspective, CONSULT WITH A NEUROLOGIST, tactile hallucinations are thought to involve abnormal activation of the somatosensory cortex, the brain area responsible for touch perception.

Normally:

Stimulus: skin receptors: brain: touch perception, CONSULT WITH A NEUROLOGIST

In hallucinations:

Brain activity: perceived touch without stimulus, CONSULT WITH A NEUROLOGIST

Parapsychology Perspective

Some researchers have suggested other interpretations in certain anomalous experiences.

Some investigators discussed the possibility that certain tactile sensations in spontaneous cases might involve psychokinetic or psi-related processes, although this remains controversial and not widely accepted in mainstream science.

In the Super-Psi / Living Agent Psi model, unusual physical sensations might theoretically be produced unconsciously by psi processes rather than external spirits.

Key Point:
Tactile hallucinations are perceptions of touch without a physical cause, and they can arise from psychiatric, neurological, substance-related, or occasionally anomalous experiential contexts.

Shervan K Shahhian

Biopsychosocial Model, explained:

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The Biopsychosocial Model is a framework used in medicine, psychology, and behavioral science to understand health, illness, and human behavior as the result of three interacting systems: biological, psychological, and social factors.

Core Idea

The model proposes that no illness or psychological condition has a single cause. Instead, it emerges from the interaction of multiple layers of influence.

1. Biological Factors

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Physical and physiological processes in the body.

Examples:

Genetics
Brain chemistry and neurobiology
Hormones
Physical injury or disease
Sleep and nutrition

Example:
Depression may involve serotonin imbalance, genetics, or inflammation.

2. Psychological Factors

Mental and emotional processes that influence behavior and health.

Examples:

Thoughts and beliefs
Personality traits
Coping skills
Trauma history
Stress perception

Example:
Two people with the same illness may respond very differently depending on their beliefs, coping style, or resilience.

3. Social Factors

Environmental and cultural influences affecting a person.

Examples:

Family relationships
Culture and religion
Socioeconomic status
Social support
Life events

Example:
Strong social support can improve recovery from illness, while isolation can worsen outcomes.

Simple Example

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Consider chronic pain:

Dimension	Example
Biological	Nerve injury or inflammation
Psychological	Catastrophic thinking about pain
Social	Work stress or lack of support

All three together shape the severity and persistence of pain.

Why It Is Important

The model changed modern healthcare by encouraging holistic treatment.

Instead of only medication, treatment may include:

Medical care, CONSULT WITH A PSYCHIATRIST
Psychotherapy
Lifestyle changes
Social support interventions

This model could be strongly influenced fields like:

Health Psychology
Behavioral Medicine, CONSULT WITH A PSYCHIATRIST
Psychosomatic Medicine, CONSULT WITH A PSYCHIATRIST

Some Example in Grief and Anomalous Experiences

For example:

Level	Possible Influence
Biological	Sleep disruption, stress hormones
Psychological	Attachment to the deceased
Social	Cultural beliefs about the afterlife

Clinical psychology might explain these experiences through grief-related cognition, while parapsychology might, sometimes explores survival or psi hypotheses.

In short:
The biopsychosocial model might see human experience as the product of body, mind, and society interacting together, rather than being caused by only one factor. CONSULT WITH A PSYCHIATRIST

Shervan K Shahhian

Demonic Psychosis, explained:

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“Demonic psychosis” is not a clinical diagnosis in psychiatry or psychology. It is a cultural, religious, or spiritual interpretation of a psychotic state, most often used in faith-based contexts to explain experiences that clinicians would classify as psychosis.

Below is a clear, layered explanation that distinguishes belief language from clinical reality.

1. How the term is used (non-clinical)

In religious or spiritual frameworks, “demonic psychosis” typically refers to a state in which a person is believed to be:

Influenced, oppressed, or possessed by a demonic entity
Hearing voices attributed to demons
Experiencing intrusive thoughts perceived as external evil forces
Exhibiting drastic personality, moral, or behavioral changes
Showing intense fear, paranoia, or religious preoccupation

This language appears in:

Certain Christian, etc. , and some folk-religious traditions
Deliverance or exorcism ministries
Cultural explanatory models where spirits explain illness

2. Clinical understanding (what psychology actually diagnoses)

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From a psychiatric standpoint, the experiences labeled “demonic psychosis” could be most commonly explained as psychotic disorders or states, such as:

Schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Bipolar disorder with psychotic features
Major depressive disorder with psychotic features
Brief psychotic disorder
Substance-induced psychosis
Trauma-related psychosis or dissociative psychosis

Core features of psychosis:

Hallucinations (often auditory voices)
Delusions (fixed false beliefs, including religious or persecutory themes)
Disorganized thinking or speech
Impaired reality testing

Importantly:
The content of psychosis is shaped by culture and belief.
A religious person may experience “demons,” while a secular person may experience “surveillance,” “AI,” or “aliens.”

3. Why the “demonic” framing can be harmful

Interpreting psychosis as demonic influence can:

Increase fear, shame, and stigma
Delay medical or psychological treatment
Worsen symptoms through reinforcement of delusions
Lead to coercive or abusive practices (e.g., forced exorcisms)

Research shows that how voices or experiences are interpreted strongly affects distress. A threatening supernatural explanation often worsens outcomes.

4. Trauma and dissociation often play a role

Many individuals labeled as “demonically afflicted” have:

Significant trauma histories
Dissociative symptoms
Intrusive inner voices or parts (not entities)
High suggestibility or absorption

Trauma can produce externalized inner experiences, which may feel alien, malevolent, or “not me.”

5. A balanced, culturally sensitive view

Modern psychology uses a biopsychosocial model:

Biological vulnerability
Psychological factors (trauma, stress, cognition)
Social and cultural meaning systems

Clinicians might aim to respect spiritual beliefs without validating interpretations that increase harm or impair reality testing.

6. Key takeaway

“Demonic psychosis” is a belief-based label for psychosis, not a medical condition.

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The experiences might be real and distressing.
The explanation of demons is cultural, symbolic, or theological rather than clinical.

Effective treatment might focuses on:

Safety
Stabilization
Trauma-informed care
Medication when appropriate CONSULT WITH A PSYCHIATRIST
Meaning-making that reduces fear rather than amplifies it
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Shervan K Shahhian

Intense Inner Criticism Might Block Intuitive Perception or Creative Cognition, why:

Intense inner criticism might block intuitive perception and creative cognition because it activates psychological processes that might interfere with the mental states required for intuition and creativity. Several mechanisms could be involved:

1. Threat Activation in the Brain

When the inner critic becomes harsh, the brain might interpret it as a threat.

Certain parts of the brain, might activate a stress response.
Stress hormones might (like cortisol) increase.
The mind might shift into defensive or survival mode.

This state might suppress the open, associative thinking needed for creativity and intuition.

2. Overactivation of the Analytical Mind

Intuition might to emerge from quiet, non-linear processing.

However, intense self-criticism might force excessive activity in the mind, particularly areas involved in:

self-monitoring
error detection
judgment

This produces hyper-analytical thinking, which might crowd out subtle intuitive signals.

3. Cognitive Load and Mental Noise

Harsh self-evaluation might create constant mental commentary:

“That idea is stupid.”
“You’re wrong.”
“You shouldn’t think that.”

This internal noise might interfere with spontaneous insights that arise from the Default Mode Network, a brain network that could be associated with imagination, internal reflection, and creative incubation.

4. Suppression of Psychological Safety

Creativity might require permission to explore imperfect ideas.

An intense inner critic:

punishes mistakes
discourages risk-taking
blocks experimentation

Without psychological safety, the mind might stop generating novel associations.

5. Reduced Access to Implicit Processing

Intuition could relay on implicit processing information that the brain has learned but cannot easily verbalize.

Harsh internal judgment disrupts this because it demands immediate logical proof, preventing intuitive impressions from surfacing.

6. Interruption of “Flow States”

Flow requires:

relaxed concentration
reduced self-consciousness
minimal self-judgment

The inner critic might do the opposite, it might increase self-conscious monitoring, which might break the flow state.

Psychological Summary

Intense inner criticism produces:

fear of error
hyper-analysis
cognitive overload
suppression of exploratory thinking

All of these block the mental conditions could be required for intuition and creativity.

A Useful Psychological Paradox

Many creative and intuitive breakthroughs occur after the mind relaxes—during:

meditation
daydreaming
walking
sleep transitions

These states quiet the inner critic, allowing deeper cognitive processes to emerge.

Shervan K Shahhian

Deception and Sarcasm, what are they really:

Understanding deception and sarcasm involves several cognitive and social abilities. Both require you to interpret what someone says vs. what they actually mean. These skills are closely related to social cognition and to the psychological concept of Theory of Mind.

1. Understanding Deception

Deception occurs when someone intentionally provides false or misleading information to influence another person’s beliefs.

Key cognitive skills involved

Theory of Mind
- Recognizing that other people have beliefs, intentions, and knowledge different from yours.
Intent detection
- Determining whether the person is trying to mislead or manipulate information.
Context analysis
- Understanding the situation in which the statement is made.
Inconsistency detection
- Noticing contradictions between:
- words
- tone
- body language
- known facts

Psychological cues of deception

People often look for signals such as:

Changes in speech patterns
Micro-expressions
Delayed responses
Avoidance or excessive eye contact
Overly detailed explanations

However, psychology research shows there is no single reliable sign of lying.

2. Understanding Sarcasm

Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony where someone says the opposite of what they mean, usually to mock, criticize, or joke.

Example:
Someone spills coffee and says:

“Well, that was just perfect.”

The literal meaning is positive, but the true meaning is negative.

Skills needed to detect sarcasm

Tone recognition
- Sarcasm often involves exaggerated or flat tone.
Context awareness
- The situation usually contradicts the literal statement.
Emotional cues
- Facial expressions or body language reveal the real meaning.
Social experience
- People who understand social norms detect sarcasm more easily.

3. Possibly: Brain Areas Involved (CONSULT WITH A NEUROLOGIST)

Research in social neuroscience might link sarcasm and deception detection to:

Prefrontal cortex: reasoning and intentions
Temporal lobes: language and social meaning
Right hemisphere: interpreting irony and tone

4. When People Struggle with These Skills

Difficulty understanding deception or sarcasm can occur in:

Autism spectrum conditions (CONSULT WITH A NEUROLOGIST)
Certain brain injuries (CONSULT WITH A NEUROLOGIST)
Severe stress or trauma
Some psychiatric disorders (CONSULT WITH A PSYCHIATRIST)

These difficulties often relate to challenges in mentalizing (understanding other minds).

Simple summary

Concept	What it means
Deception	Someone intentionally tries to mislead
Sarcasm	Someone says the opposite of what they mean
Key skill	Understanding others’ intentions

Understanding deception is also very relevant in areas like interview analysis, anomalous experiences, and belief formation.

Shervan K Shahhian

Theory of Mind, what is it:

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to understand that other people have their own thoughts, beliefs, feelings, intentions, and perspectives, which may be different from your own.

Simple Definition

It is the mental capacity to “read minds” indirectly, not literally, but by inferring what someone else might be thinking or feeling.

Key Idea

People with Theory of Mind recognize that:

Others can believe things that are false
Others have different knowledge
Others have intentions and emotions separate from theirs

Example

Imagine a husband sees that a cookie jar was moved.

Husband with Theory of Mind:
“Wife doesn’t know the jar moved, so she will look in the old place.”
Without Theory of Mind:
“Wife will look where the jar actually is because I know where it is.”

Importance

Theory of Mind is crucial for:

Empathy
Social interaction
Communication
Moral reasoning
Deception and sarcasm understanding

For example, understanding sarcasm requires recognizing that someone’s literal words differ from their actual intention.

Clinical Relevance

Difficulties with Theory of Mind are often seen in:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (CONSULT WITH A NEUROLOGIST)
Schizophrenia
Borderline Personality Disorder

These conditions may affect how a person interprets others’ intentions or emotions.

In Psychology Research

Theory of Mind could be studied in fields such as:

Developmental Psychology
Social Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience

In short:
Theory of Mind: the ability to understand that other minds exist and think differently than yours.

Shervan K Shahhian

Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT), explained:

Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) is a form of psychodynamic psychotherapy that helps people better understand their own mental states and the mental states of others, such as thoughts, feelings, intentions, and motivations. This ability is called Mentalization.

Core Idea

Mentalization means being able to ask questions like:

“Why did I react that way?”
“What might the other person have been thinking or feeling?”
“Could I be misinterpreting their intention?”

MBT helps people pause and reflect on internal experiences rather than reacting impulsively.

Research later showed it might also help with:

trauma-related disorders
depression
attachment difficulties
emotional dysregulation

Key Principles of MBT

1. Improving Awareness of Mental States

Patients learn to recognize:

their own emotions and thoughts
how those affect behavior
how others may experience situations differently

2. Reducing Misinterpretations

People under emotional stress often lose the ability to mentalize, leading to:

jumping to conclusions
assuming hostile intentions
relationship conflict

MBT helps restore reflective thinking during emotional situations.

3. Attachment Focus

MBT is strongly linked to Attachment Theory.

The therapy examines how early attachment relationships affect emotional regulation and understanding of others.

What Therapy Looks Like

MBT usually involves:

Individual therapy

exploring emotions and relationship events
examining misunderstandings in interactions

Group therapy

practicing mentalizing in real-time social interactions

Therapists often ask questions like:

“What do you think was going through their mind?”
“What were you feeling at that moment?”
“Could there be another explanation?”

Goal of MBT

The main goals are to:

improve emotional regulation
strengthen self-awareness
improve relationships
reduce impulsive behavior and conflict

Why It’s Powerful

Studies show MBT might reduce:

self-harm
suicide attempts: (SEEK IMMIDIATE EMERGENCY CARE)
emotional instability
interpersonal chaos

especially in individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder.

In simple terms:
MBT might train the mind to slow down and understand minds, both your own and other people’s.

Shervan K Shahhian

Auditory Verbal Hallucinations (AVH), an explanation:

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Auditory Verbal Hallucinations (AVH) are experiences of hearing voices or speech without an external sound source. The voices are perceived as real and distinct from one’s own internal thoughts.

They might be more common than many people assume and occur across multiple clinical and non-clinical populations.

What They Typically Involve

AVH can vary widely in form:

A single voice or multiple voices
Male, female, familiar, or unfamiliar voices
Speaking in second person (“You are worthless”)
Third person commentary (“He is failing”)
Command voices (“Do this”)
Conversational voices arguing or discussing the person

The key distinction is that the voice is experienced as external or not self-generated, even though no one is speaking.

Conditions Commonly Associated With AVH

AVH are most classically linked to:

Schizophrenia
Schizoaffective disorder
Bipolar disorder (with psychotic features)
Major depressive disorder (with psychotic features)

However, they are also found in:

Trauma-related disorders (especially complex trauma)
Dissociative disorders
Severe stress or sleep deprivation
Neurological conditions, CONSULT A NEUROLOGIST, PLEASE
Substance use or withdrawal

Importantly, some people experience voices without meeting criteria for a psychiatric disorder.

How AVH Differ From Normal Inner Speech

Inner Speech	Auditory Verbal Hallucination
Recognized as your own thoughts	Experienced as not self-generated
Under voluntary control	Often intrusive and uncontrollable
Occurs “inside” your mind	Often perceived as external or spatially located

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Neurocognitively, one leading model suggests AVH may involve misattributed inner speech, where self-generated verbal thought is experienced as coming from outside the self.

Neurobiological Findings

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Research shows involvement of:

Auditory cortex activation (as if real sound is present)
Language production areas
Reduced connectivity between speech production and self-monitoring systems

In other words, the brain may be producing speech internally but failing to label it as self-generated.

Trauma and Dissociation Connection

In trauma populations, voices often:

Reflect internalized abusers
Represent dissociated self-states
Contain shame-based or protective content

From a structural dissociation perspective, some voices may function as parts of the personality, rather than psychotic phenomena per se.

Clinical Questions That Matter

Frequency and duration
Emotional tone (hostile, neutral, supportive)
Command content (especially harmful commands)
Level of distress
Insight (does the person question the reality of the voice?)
Functional impairment

Distress and loss of control are often more clinically significant than the mere presence of voices.

Treatment Approaches

Depending on etiology:

medication: CONSULT A PSYCHIATRIST
Trauma-focused therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp)
Voice dialogue approaches
Grounding and self-monitoring training

Increasingly, treatment focuses not on “eliminating” voices, but on changing the person’s relationship to them.

Shervan K Shahhian

Birth-Order Psychology, explained:

Birth-order psychology is the theory that a person’s position in their family (firstborn, middle child, youngest, or only child) influences their personality development, behavior patterns, and life outcomes.

Core Idea

Family dynamics
Sibling competition
Parental attention patterns
Perceived role within the family

It’s less about actual order and more about the psychological position the child experiences.

Common Birth-Order Patterns

Firstborn

Often described as:

Responsible
Achievement-oriented
Conscientious
Leadership-driven
Sometimes perfectionistic

Psychological dynamic:
Firstborns initially receive full parental attention, then experience “dethronement” when a sibling arrives.

Middle Child

Often described as:

Diplomatic
Independent
Socially skilled
Sometimes feeling overlooked

Dynamic:
They may feel squeezed between older and younger siblings, which can foster negotiation skills or competitiveness.

Youngest Child

Often described as:

Charming
Creative
Risk-taking
Attention-seeking

Dynamic:
They grow up around more capable siblings, which may encourage social boldness or dependency.

Only Child

Often described as:

Mature
Verbally advanced
Comfortable with adults
Self-directed
Sometimes perfectionistic

Dynamic:
Receives undivided parental attention without sibling rivalry.

What Might Research Say?

Modern research shows:

Personality differences exist, but they are small.
Birth order may affect family roles and behavior patterns more than core personality traits.
Socioeconomic status, parenting style, attachment patterns, and temperament often have stronger effects.

Some Large-scale studies suggest birth order has minimal impact on the Big Five personality traits, but it may influence:

Achievement motivation
Political attitudes
Risk tolerance

Important Psychological Nuances

Birth order is often mediated by attachment security.
“Psychological birth order” (how a child perceives their position) matters more than actual order.
Blended families complicate the dynamic significantly.
Parental differential treatment is a stronger predictor than ordinal position alone.

Some Clinical Use

Birth-order theory can be useful for:

Exploring sibling rivalry
Understanding family-of-origin narratives
Identifying internalized roles (e.g., “the responsible one,” “the rebel,” “the peacemaker”)

But it should not be treated as deterministic.

Shervan K Shahhian