ALLOPSYCHIC

A general term characterizing the assignment or projection of one’s own thoughts or ideas to people or events in the outside world.In an allopsychic delusion or hallucination the patient projects his own feelings into other people (alio- means other, or different). If he is jealous, he believes his wife is jealous; if he is hostile, he believes other people are aggressive or conspiring against him; if he wishes to cheat others, he becomes convinced that they are out to cheat him. The term “allopsychosis” has been used by Wernicke to denote a psychosis marked by disorganization of the perceptive powers for the outside world (hallucinations and illusions) but without disorder of the motor powers such as speech or action. In this sense it contrasts with an autopsychosis in which the patient is afflicted with hallucinations or delusions about himself.