Hallucinations : the science of idiosyncratic perception /

Hallucinations occur when one senses or perceives something that is not really there. They may involve any of the senses but are most often auditory or visual. They may be mildly or severely distressing or may even be somewhat pleasant. They have a wide variety of causes, ranging from fatigue or sensory deprivation to severe psychopathology and dementia. In this comprehensive review of research on hallucinations, Aleman (Univ. of Groningen, the Netherlands) and Laroi (Univ. of Liege, Belgium) present a classification of hallucinations, discuss both cognitive and physiological processes underlying the phenomenon, and provide an excellent summary and critique of treatments for those suffering from hallucinations. They also describe methods for assessing the nature and severity of hallucinations. The writing is clear and for the most part free of technical language, with the result that the book should be accessible to anyone with the equivalent of an introductory course in psychology. The authors list about 1,000 references, a valuable resource for students and researchers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers, all levels. R. H. Cormack New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology