Am J Psychiatry 1975; 132:1038-1044
Copyright © 1975 by American Psychiatric Association
Persecutory delusions: a cybernetic model
FT Melges and AM Freeman 3d
The authors propose a cybernetic model for the formation and maintenance of
persecutory delusions. During the formation of persecutory ideation, the
threat of loss of control over the self or others interacts with
predictions of control from others. This interaction may result in feelings
of alien control followed by persecutory explanations. Since the
persecutory explanations provide the individual with a new goal of
resisting others' influence in order to prevent being controlled, they
reduce the threat of loss of self- control. This is how persecutory
delusions are maintained.
