Persecutory and Grandiose Thinking in Mental Disorder, Religion, and Politics: Common Causes, Processes, and (Dys)Functions

Persecutory and grandiose thinking (PGT) is evident in mental disorder, religion, and politics. This paper offers an interdisciplinary explanation of PGT with a focus on common causes, mechanisms, and functions. First, psychopathological and ideological variants of PGT are introduced and compared. Theories of stress-induced psychological and social change are invoked next to explain shifts towards PGT in individuals and groups. These include a Status Threat/Reward Model of psychopathological PGT and a relative deprivation theory of political violence. Potential functions and dysfunctions of PGT are considered next, with a focus on how persecutory and grandiose thinking may orient individuals towards mitigating social threats and gaining social rewards, respectively. Conditions for collective PGT are then explored, including systemic stress and exposure to redemptive ideological narratives. Finally, we consider how religious and political institutions regulate PGT.