DELUSIONS 83 



accompanied by behavior appropriate to the belief does not warrant the 

 conclusion that the false belief is a delusion. The firm belief of the 

 negro in voodoo, or of the ignorant peasant in fairies, banshees and 

 ghosts, may result in particular types of reactions. The beliefs may be 

 associated with behavior appropriate to the beliefs and even give rise to 

 actions which are similar to the reactions of the insane. It must be 

 recognized, however, that these beliefs are often consistent with the 

 individual's previous experience and with his education. If such 

 beliefs were held by an educated man, they would be inconsistent with 

 his previous life and his environment ; and since they are opposed to the 

 experience and beliefs of his friends and acquaintances and bring about 

 particular reactions on his part, we would consider them to be delu- 

 sions. The ignorant negro who lies on his back when he has a pain in 

 the abdomen or in some other part of his body, and loudly calls for his 

 spirit to return to him shows by his actions that he believes the pain is 

 an indication that his spirit is departing from him. His belief, how- 

 ever, is quite consistent with those of his neighbors, the remainder of 

 his tribe, and they are very effective causes of action. 



Under certain conditions individuals may have false beliefs, and 

 these false beliefs for them be scientifically not delusions, although 

 similar beliefs on the part of others would be considered delusional. 

 Thus, for example, a child may believe that the moon is made of gi-een 

 cheese. This may be firmly fixed. It is not, of course, dependent upon 

 immediate sensory stimulation and can not be corrected by an appeal 

 to reason, but this belief is perfectly consistent with the child's previous 

 education and training, and it does not bring about any particular mode 

 of reaction. In the same way the belief that the sun revolves round the 

 earth may be held by many and may, on the other hand, be quite con- 

 sistent with the experience and belief of the individual's fellows, and 

 possibly may not be corrected by an appeal to reason. 



Nor is it necessary always that the delusion be a false belief. It is 

 sometimes only necessary that the reasoning by which the individual 

 arrives at the conclusion be abnormal or false. Thus, the belief that 

 at the North Pole or at the top of a mountain a particular kind of rock 

 may be found may be quite true if it is tested by experience. Lacking 

 such experience and assuming or concluding that the special kind of 

 rock is to be found because one has heard God whispering to him gives 

 the false belief a character quite different from the other false beliefs 

 which have been considered. Such a belief is rightly called a delusion, 

 even though the truth of the fact be demonstrable. The delusional 

 element in such a case is not necessarily the falsity of the belief, but the 

 manner in which the conclusion or belief was attained. 



Delusions have many characters. Some of them are held for only 

 a brief period of time ; they give place to other beliefs which are equally 



