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{{Short description|Assertion that a statement is false}}
{{for|other uses|Denial (disambiguation)}}
{{About||other uses|Denial (disambiguation)|and|Deny (disambiguation)|and|Denied (disambiguation)}}
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[[File:Schnorr_von_Carolsfeld_Bibel_in_Bildern_1860_211.png|thumb|A woodcut from 1860, depicting the [[Denial of Peter]], a story told in the four [[Gospel]]s in the [[New Testament]]. In it, Peter denies having associated with Jesus, who is being sought by authorities.]]
{{redirect-distinguish|Denies|Denys}}
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'''Denial''', in ordinary English usage, is asserting that a statement or allegation is not true<ref name= "OED denial">{{cite book |title= Oxford English Dictionary |edition= Online, U.S. English |chapter= denial |chapter-url= http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/denial |publisher= [[Oxford University Press]] |accessdate= 2014-05-24 |via= oxforddictionaries.com}}</ref> (which might be accurate or inaccurate). It may also mean the refusal of a request, but this article covers denial of true factual claims.
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[[File:Adam de Coster - The Denial of Saint Peter.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|A 17th century painting depicting the [[Denial of Peter]], a story told in the four [[Gospel]]s in the [[New Testament]]. In it, Peter denies having associated with Jesus, who is being sought by authorities.]]
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'''Denial''', in ordinary English usage, has at least three meanings: asserting that any particular statement or allegation is not true<ref name= "OED denial">{{cite book |title= Oxford English Dictionary |edition= Online, U.S. English |chapter= denial |chapter-url= http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/denial |publisher= [[Oxford University Press]] |access-date= 2014-05-24 |via= oxforddictionaries.com |archive-date= 2016-05-10 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160510012624/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/denial |url-status= dead }}</ref> (which might be accurate or inaccurate); the refusal of a request; and asserting that a true statement is not true.


In psychology, [[denialism]] is a person's choice to poo
In psychology, [[denialism]] is a person's choice to deny reality as a way to avoid a psychologically uncomfortable truth.
reality as a way to avoid a psychologically uncomfortable truth.


In [[psychoanalytic theory]] (which has been criticized as unscientific and factually unfounded), [[Denial (Freud)|denial]] is a [[defense mechanism]] in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The concept of denial is important in [[twelve-step program]]s (which have been criticized as ineffective) where the abandonment or reversal of denial that [[substance dependence]] is problematic forms the basis of the first, fourth, fifth, eighth and tenth steps.
In [[psychoanalytic theory]], [[Denial (Freud)|denial]] is a [[defense mechanism]] in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The concept of denial is important in [[twelve-step program]]s where the abandonment or reversal of denial that [[substance dependence]] is problematic forms the basis of the first, fourth, fifth, eighth and tenth steps.


People who are exhibiting symptoms of a serious medical condition sometimes deny or ignore those symptoms because the idea of having a serious health problem is uncomfortable or disturbing. The [[American Heart Association]] cites denial as a principal reason that treatment of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] is delayed.{{fact|date=January 2020}} Because the symptoms are so varied, and often have other potential explanations, the opportunity exists for the patient to deny the emergency, often with fatal consequences. It is common for patients to delay recommended [[mammogram]]s or other tests because of a fear of [[cancer]], even on average this worsens the long-term medical outcome.{{fact|date=January 2020}}
People who are exhibiting symptoms of a serious medical condition sometimes deny or ignore those symptoms because the idea of having a serious health problem is uncomfortable or disturbing. The [[American Heart Association]] cites denial as a principal reason that treatment of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] is delayed.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ornato Joseph P.|last2=Hand Mary M.|date=2014-03-18|title=Warning Signs of a Heart Attack|journal=Circulation|volume=129|issue=11|pages=e393–e395|doi=10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.006126|pmid=24637436|doi-access=free}}</ref> Because the symptoms are so varied, and often have other potential explanations, the opportunity exists for the patient to deny the emergency, often with fatal consequences. It is common for patients to delay recommended [[mammogram]]s or other tests because of a fear of [[cancer]], even though on average this worsens the long-term medical outcome.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Rivera-Franco|first1=Monica M|last2=Leon-Rodriguez|first2=Eucario|date=2018-01-08|title=Delays in Breast Cancer Detection and Treatment in Developing Countries|journal=Breast Cancer: Basic and Clinical Research|volume=12|doi=10.1177/1178223417752677|issn=1178-2234|pmc=5802601|pmid=29434475}}</ref>

== Psychology ==
Initial short-term denial can be a good thing, giving time to adjust to a painful or stressful issue. It might also be a precursor to making some sort of change in one's life. But denial can also be harmful; if denial persists and prevents a person from taking appropriate action, it's a harmful response.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stuck in denial? How to move on|url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/denial/art-20047926|access-date=2020-10-19|website=Mayo Clinic|language=en}}</ref>


== In political and economic context ==
== In political and economic context ==
Some people who are known as denialists<ref>2005, The Cape Times 2005-03-11 {{full citation needed|date=April 2019}}</ref> or [[True-believer syndrome|true believer]]s have known to be in denial of historical or scientific facts accepted by the mainstream of society or by experts, for political or economic reasons. It includes:
Some people who are known as denialists<ref>2005, The Cape Times 2005-03-11 {{full citation needed|date=April 2019}}</ref> or [[True-believer syndrome|true believer]]s have been known to be in denial of historical or scientific facts accepted by the mainstream of society or by experts, for political or economic reasons. Examples of denialism include:


*[[Climate change denial]]
*[[Climate change denial]]
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*[[Plausible deniability]]
*[[Plausible deniability]]
*[[Polite fiction]]
*[[Polite fiction]]
*[[Psychological manipulation]]
*[[Scotomization]]
*[[Scotomization]]
*[[Self-deception]]
*[[Self-deception]]
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== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
<references />


==Further reading==
== Further reading ==
===Articles===
* {{cite journal |last1= Sharot |first1= T. |last2= Korn |first2= C. W. |last3= Dolan |first3= R. J. |title= How unrealistic optimism is maintained in the face of reality |journal= [[Nature Neuroscience]] |volume= 14 |issue= 11 |year= 2011 |pages= 1475–9 |pmid= 21983684 |pmc= 3204264 |doi= 10.1038/nn.2949}}
* {{cite journal |last1= Sharot |first1= T. |last2= Korn |first2= C. W. |last3= Dolan |first3= R. J. |title= How unrealistic optimism is maintained in the face of reality |journal= [[Nature Neuroscience]] |volume= 14 |issue= 11 |year= 2011 |pages= 1475–9 |pmid= 21983684 |pmc= 3204264 |doi= 10.1038/nn.2949}}
* {{cite journal |last1= Izuma |first1= K. |last2= Adolphs |first2= R. |title= The brain's rose-colored glasses |journal= [[Nature Neuroscience]] |volume= 14 |issue= 11 |year= 2011 |pages= 1355–6 |pmid= 22030541 |doi= 10.1038/nn.2960}}
* {{cite journal |last1= Izuma |first1= K. |last2= Adolphs |first2= R. |title= The brain's rose-colored glasses |journal= [[Nature Neuroscience]] |volume= 14 |issue= 11 |year= 2011 |pages= 1355–6 |pmid= 22030541 |doi= 10.1038/nn.2960|s2cid= 22368367 }}
*{{cite journal |last1= Travis |first1= A. C. |last2= Pawa |first2= S. |last3= LeBlanc |first3= J. K. |last4= Rogers|first4=A. I. |title= Denial: What is it, how do we recognize it, and what should we do about it? |journal= [[The American Journal of Gastroenterology]] |volume= 106 |issue= 6 |year= 2011 |pages= 1028–30 |pmid= 21637266 |doi=10.1038/ajg.2010.466}}
* {{cite journal |last1= Travis |first1= A. C. |last2= Pawa |first2= S. |last3= LeBlanc |first3= J. K. |last4= Rogers|first4=A. I. |title= Denial: What is it, how do we recognize it, and what should we do about it? |journal= [[The American Journal of Gastroenterology]] |volume= 106 |issue= 6 |year= 2011 |pages= 1028–30 |pmid= 21637266 |doi=10.1038/ajg.2010.466|s2cid= 37719358 }}
* {{cite journal |last1= Vos |first1=M. S. |last2= de Haes |first2= H. J. C. M. |title= Denial indeed is a process |journal= [[Lung Cancer (journal)|Lung Cancer]] |volume= 72 |issue= 1 |year= 2011 |page= 138 |pmid= 21377573 |doi= 10.1016/j.lungcan.2011.01.026}}
* {{cite journal |last1= Vos |first1=M. S. |last2= de Haes |first2= H. J. C. M. |title= Denial indeed is a process |journal= [[Lung Cancer (journal)|Lung Cancer]] |volume= 72 |issue= 1 |year= 2011 |page= 138 |pmid= 21377573 |doi= 10.1016/j.lungcan.2011.01.026}}


{{Defense mechanisms}}
{{Psychological manipulation}}
{{Abuse}}


[[Category:Deception]]
[[Category:Cognitive biases]]
[[Category:Cognitive biases]]
[[Category:Belief]]
[[Category:Belief]]

Latest revision as of 04:40, 14 February 2024

For other uses, see Denial (disambiguation), Deny (disambiguation), and Denied (disambiguation).
"Denies" redirects here. Not to be confused with Denys.
A 17th century painting depicting the Denial of Peter, a story told in the four Gospels in the New Testament. In it, Peter denies having associated with Jesus, who is being sought by authorities.

Denial, in ordinary English usage, has at least three meanings: asserting that any particular statement or allegation is not true[1] (which might be accurate or inaccurate); the refusal of a request; and asserting that a true statement is not true.

In psychology, denialism is a person's choice to deny reality as a way to avoid a psychologically uncomfortable truth.

In psychoanalytic theory, denial is a defense mechanism in which a person is faced with a fact that is too uncomfortable to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The concept of denial is important in twelve-step programs where the abandonment or reversal of denial that substance dependence is problematic forms the basis of the first, fourth, fifth, eighth and tenth steps.

People who are exhibiting symptoms of a serious medical condition sometimes deny or ignore those symptoms because the idea of having a serious health problem is uncomfortable or disturbing. The American Heart Association cites denial as a principal reason that treatment of a heart attack is delayed.[2] Because the symptoms are so varied, and often have other potential explanations, the opportunity exists for the patient to deny the emergency, often with fatal consequences. It is common for patients to delay recommended mammograms or other tests because of a fear of cancer, even though on average this worsens the long-term medical outcome.[3]

Psychology[edit]

Initial short-term denial can be a good thing, giving time to adjust to a painful or stressful issue. It might also be a precursor to making some sort of change in one's life. But denial can also be harmful; if denial persists and prevents a person from taking appropriate action, it's a harmful response.[4]

In political and economic context[edit]

Some people who are known as denialists[5] or true believers have been known to be in denial of historical or scientific facts accepted by the mainstream of society or by experts, for political or economic reasons. Examples of denialism include:

See also[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Denial.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "denial". Oxford English Dictionary (Online, U.S. English ed.). Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2016-05-10. Retrieved 2014-05-24 – via oxforddictionaries.com.
  2. ^ Ornato Joseph P.; Hand Mary M. (2014-03-18). "Warning Signs of a Heart Attack". Circulation. 129 (11): e393–e395. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.006126. PMID 24637436.
  3. ^ Rivera-Franco, Monica M; Leon-Rodriguez, Eucario (2018-01-08). "Delays in Breast Cancer Detection and Treatment in Developing Countries". Breast Cancer: Basic and Clinical Research. 12. doi:10.1177/1178223417752677. ISSN 1178-2234. PMC 5802601. PMID 29434475.
  4. ^ "Stuck in denial? How to move on". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  5. ^ 2005, The Cape Times 2005-03-11 [full citation needed]

Further reading[edit]

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