Hemisphal neglect patients exhibit specific psychological denial mechanisms regarding their condition
the verdict
CONTESTED
the evidence cuts both ways
confidence 32/100
Although early theories often attributed the lack of awareness in hemispatial neglect and associated anosognosia to psychological denial, contemporary neuropsychological evidence indicates these deficits arise primarily from structural brain damage and impaired belief-updating mechanisms rather than defense mechanisms.
Evidence for · 4
Possible mechanisms of anosognosia: a defect in self-awareness.
1998 · cited by 89
Berti et al. (1998) note that while psychological denial has historically been discussed, anosognosia involves specific neuropsychological deficits alongside spatial neglect.
Evidence against · 3
Possible mechanisms of anosognosia: a defect in self-awareness.
1998 · cited by 89
Berti et al. (1998) argue that a purely psychological denial hypothesis fails to account for the hemispheric asymmetries and specific patterns of deficit seen in patients.
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More for · 3
The affective modulation of motor awareness in anosognosia for hemiplegia: behavioural and lesion evidence.
2014 · cited by 28
Fotopoulou et al. (2014) discuss the long-standing debate between psychodynamic and neurocognitive theories regarding the denial of motor deficits in anosognosia for hemiplegia.
Updating beliefs beyond the here-and-now: the counter-factual self in anosognosia for hemiplegia.
2021 · cited by 20
Orfei et al. (2007) or related work on counter-factual self-awareness in anosognosia explore how patients maintain false beliefs about their motor abilities.
The Merging Tracks of Anosognosia and Neglect
2020 · cited by 18
Pia et al. (2020) review how anosognosia and hemineglect share conceptual parallels regarding distorted beliefs and altered awareness of the self.
More against · 2
The affective modulation of motor awareness in anosognosia for hemiplegia: behavioural and lesion evidence.
2014 · cited by 28
Fotopoulou et al. (2014) suggest that unawareness cannot be adequately explained by purely motivational accounts, pointing instead to integrative neurocognitive and interoceptive deficits.
Updating beliefs beyond the here-and-now: the counter-factual self in anosognosia for hemiplegia.
2021 · cited by 20
Berti et al. (2005 / 2021) demonstrate that failures in belief-updating stem from underlying attentional and neural network disruptions rather than intentional psychological defense mechanisms.