Abnormal Psychology Exam 2 Practice

How do factitious disorder and malingering differ in motivation and behavior?

Factitious disorder involves intentionally producing symptoms to assume the sick role without obvious external incentives. Factitious disorder involves intentional production of symptoms to achieve external gains. Factitious disorder is motivated by external incentives. Malingering is not intentional.

Correct Answer:

Factitious disorder involves intentionally producing symptoms to assume the sick role without obvious external incentives.

Explanation:

The difference hinges on why the person fabricates symptoms. In factitious disorder, the individual deliberately creates or exaggerates illness to assume the sick role and receive attention, care, and sympathy, with no obvious external rewards. This reflects an internal psychological need rather than a concrete, tangible benefit. Malingering, by contrast, involves intentional feigning of symptoms to gain something outside the illness itself—external rewards such as avoiding work, obtaining financial compensation, or accessing drugs. So the distinction is internal motivation and the social-psychological payoff versus External incentives: factitious is about the need to be cared for, malingering is about getting a specific external benefit.

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