Cognitive-Developmental Mechanisms in Hallucinations.
Charles Fernyhough, Janna De Boer, Paige E Davis, Maude Schneider, Yusuke Moriguchi, Ben Alderson-day, Sanne G Brederoo, Renaud Jardri
Schizophrenia bulletin October 6, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbaf144 via PubMed
Summary
Hallucinations are common in many psychiatric disorders, but their developmental origins remain unclear. This article argues that mainstream developmental psychology can illuminate how hallucinations emerge across different sensory modalities and throughout life. Hallucinations vary in clinical significance depending on when they occur. Key cognitive-developmental processes involved include engaging with imaginary entities, adverse events, executive functioning, social cognition, and language development. Atypical developmental trajectories, as seen in conditions like 22q11.2 deletion syndrome or autism, may shape hallucination prevalence and phenomenology. Closer integration of developmental and psychiatric approaches could benefit both fields.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Developmental psychology can enhance understanding of how hallucinations develop across modalities and the lifecourse, with atypical trajectories playing a key role. |
Abstract
Hallucinations figure prominently in a range of psychiatric disorders but, to date, their developmental origins are not well understood. The aim of the present article is to explore how ideas from mainstream developmental psychology can enhance understanding of how hallucinations develop in different modalities across the lifecourse. Hallucinations vary in their clinical significance depending on at what point they occur in the lifetime of the individual. Key cognitive-developmental processes include engaging with imaginary entities, exposure to adverse events, executive functioning, social cognition, and language development. The presentation of hallucinations in certain developmental conditions suggest that atypical developmental trajectories can also play a key role in shaping hallucination prevalence and phenomenology. In considering prospects for future research at this interface, we propose that two-way benefits may result from further close integration between developmental and psychiatric approaches to hallucinations.