On the Distinction between Monothematic and Polythematic Delusions
Abstract
Some delusional patients exhibit only a single delusional belief (or several delusional beliefs concerning a single theme): this is monothematic delusion. It contrasts with polythematic delusion, where the patient exhibits a variety of delusions concerning a variety of different themes. The neuropsychological bases of various monothematic delusions are rather well understood, and there is a well‐worked‐out general neuropsychological theory of monothematic delusion, the two‐factor theory. Whether polythematic delusion might be explained in a similar way is an open question: I sketch some possible ways in which a comparable two‐factor account might be developed for polythematic (‘psychiatric’) delusional conditions such as delusions of reference.
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Delusions exist on a spectrum and may be monothematic or polythematic.
“delusions exist on a spectrum (Kingdon & Turkington, 1994) and may be monothematic (concerning a single theme) or polythematic (concerning various themes, e.g., feeling persecuted, on a divine mission, etc.) (Coltheart, 2013).”
From Are Attributions of Consciousness to AI Chatbots Epistemically Innocent? (2026) · cites this paper as Coltheart, 2013
Cites
Kapur, S. (2003) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.160.1.13 · Cited by 2,813 · see citing works
Abductive inference and delusional belief.
Coltheart, M., Menzies, P., & Sutton, J. (2010) · Cognitive Neuropsychiatry · doi:10.1080/13546800903439120 · Cited by 177 · see citing works
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Grunfeld, G., Lemonde, A.-C., Gold, I., Iyer, S. N., Malla, A., Lepage, M., Joober, R., Boksa, P., & Shah, J. L. (2023) · Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s00127-022-02324-9 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Are Attributions of Consciousness to AI Chatbots Epistemically Innocent?
Peters, U. (2026) · Minds and Machines · doi:10.1007/s11023-026-09795-8
- Authors
- Coltheart, M.
- Affiliations
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Coltheart, Max
- ORCID
- Coltheart, Max
- Venue
- Mind & Language
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2013-02
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 103-112
- ISSN
- 0268-1064 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-0017
- OpenAlex
- W2136210770
- Cited by
- 48
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 29.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Mind & Language (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Mental Health and Psychiatry
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hallucinations in medical conditions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Keywords
- delusions of reference, Herzberg's two-factor theory, delusional disorder, delusions
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