Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 27, 2025

The Deese-Roediger-McDermott DRM Task: A Simple Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate False Memories in the Laboratory
07:26

The Deese-Roediger-McDermott DRM Task: A Simple Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate False Memories in the Laboratory

Published on: January 31, 2017

39.5K

Concepts and controversies of malingering: A re-look

Swapnajeet Sahoo1, Rajeet Kumar1, Fareed Oomer1

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, 160012, India.

Asian Journal of Psychiatry
|February 24, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Malingering, or illness deception for external gain, is a recognized phenomenon. However, its diagnostic challenges and controversies mean it remains neglected in psychiatric systems.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Forensic Psychology
  • Medical Ethics

Background:

  • Humans have historically feigned illness for various reasons, leading to the concept of malingering.
  • Malingering involves assuming a sick role and feigning symptoms to obtain external incentives.
  • Despite evidence of its existence, malingering lacks established diagnostic criteria in mainstream psychiatric systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evolution of concepts surrounding malingering.
  • To explore the ongoing controversies and challenges in diagnosing malingering.
  • To highlight the importance of understanding malingering in legal and consumer benefit contexts.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review examining the historical development of malingering concepts.
  • Analysis of diagnostic challenges, including construct validity and assessment methodologies.
  • Discussion of ethical and social issues impacting the recognition of malingering.

Main Results:

  • Malingering is a complex phenomenon with a long history.
  • Significant challenges exist in defining, assessing, and diagnosing malingering.
  • Controversies and ethical considerations contribute to its neglect in psychiatric nosology.

Conclusions:

  • Malingering remains an area requiring further research and clearer diagnostic guidelines.
  • Addressing conceptual and assessment issues is crucial for its proper recognition.
  • Understanding malingering is increasingly important in legal and societal contexts.
Keywords:
ConceptsControversiesMalingering

More Related Videos

An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime07:36

An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime

Published on: May 3, 2016

8.9K
Real-time Video Projection in an MRI for Characterization of Neural Correlates Associated with Mirror Therapy for Phantom Limb Pain11:29

Real-time Video Projection in an MRI for Characterization of Neural Correlates Associated with Mirror Therapy for Phantom Limb Pain

Published on: April 20, 2019

10.2K

Related Concept Videos

False Memories01:18

False Memories

False memories represent a cognitive distortion in which individuals recall events that did not happen, or remember them in an altered form. This phenomenon highlights the brain's constructive nature in processing and recalling memories, emphasizing that memory is not a perfect representation of past events but rather a dynamic reconstruction influenced by various factors.
One primary source of false memories is misattribution, where individuals incorrectly associate external information...
324
Understanding Deception01:14

Understanding Deception

Deception is a pervasive aspect of human communication. Empirical studies have shown that most individuals engage in some form of deceit on a daily basis, with approximately 20% of social exchanges involving deceptive elements. Lying follows a developmental trajectory, peaking during adolescence and declining with age, possibly due to the maturation of cognitive control and social accountability.Cognitive and Social Factors in Deception DetectionDespite its prevalence, accurately detecting...
125
Concepts of Health and Illness01:29

Concepts of Health and Illness

Health is a condition of the body, mind, and spirit where an individual remains free from illness. Similarly, wellness is an active state, including living a lifestyle that promotes physical, mental, and emotional health. Physical health is critical for the overall well-being and can be affected by lifestyle, activity level, diet, and behavior. The highest attainable standard of health is a fundamental and universal human right. Consider Lisa, a fifteen-year-old born with congenital...
16.8K
Cognitive Dissonance01:38

Cognitive Dissonance

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
36.7K
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping02:05

Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
43.4K
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects01:29

Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects

Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
230