THEREADER

“The presence of the shield feats can also arise in some cases of pathological jealousy. Here, the dreaded anti-feat would be infidelity, understood as anti-feat when it destroys pride and social prestige. One of the shield feats that would appear is the awareness. Here, the logic would be "aware" of infidelity operating as a consolation or compensation that serves to cushion the blow to the pride that infidelity brings. Therefore, this shield feat of awareness is the belief that infidelity has already occurred”
― Martín Ross, THE SHIELD FEATS THEORY: a different hypothesis concerning the etiology of delusions and other disorders.

“The neurobiological side of the hypothesis is proposed that a) the feats cause, at the brain level, a rise in dopamine b) delusions are feats of fantasy and fantasy shield feats that cause this same award, or relieve punishment c) the neuroleptics show efficacy in reducing delusions since they inhibit dopamine receptors and take away the prize for self-deception”
― Martín Ross, THE SHIELD FEATS THEORY: a different hypothesis concerning the etiology of delusions and other disorders.

“We propose a general division of delusions;   “self deceptions of common feats" (like mysticism, erotomania, identity delusions, possession delusions, grandiose delusions) and "self deception of shield feats" (delusions of jealousy, delusions of reference as being slandered, persecution as being poisoned).  The theory of the shield feats can be the connecting piece between self deception and delusions, because although always delusions of grandiosity could easily be understood as self deception to enjoy a more pleasant world, the frequency of negative delusions seems to destroy this simplistic hypothesis. However , when considering the shield feats, then it is the link that connects the intuitive hypothesis of self-deception with psychosis , which happens to be understood as a continuum of the same phenomenon”
― Martín Ross, THE SHIELD FEATS THEORY: a different hypothesis concerning the etiology of delusions and other disorders.

“THE “AWARENESS” SHIELD FEAT.

According to the Bible, Joseph obtained enormous prestige in Egypt, when he was able to divine the dreams of the pharaoh,

As Joseph earned that feat with a great social prestige, in different traditions the "awareness" of the future, or an inaccessible present, always proved a merit that produces social honor. Weber (1922) considers the prophets, along with the priests and magicians, as examples of charismatic leaders, and this is because "predict " or " perceive" the future has been, in different traditions, a strong feat that has given pride and social prestige those who perform.
It postulates a "shield feat of awareness" that is intended to offset the impact on the pride of some future anti-feat. When the firepower that a possible future anti-feat has about pride and social prestige is too high and becomes unbearable, the person can go into that future equipped with a shield feat that will compensate. From that strategy, thinking badly of the future is a way of ensuring the "consolation prize" of having the merit of "prediction”.
According to Steele (1988 ), when a person experiences a negative assessment of himself in a particular field, they can initiate a process of self-affirmation activating positive beliefs in another area, thus achieving a positive overall assessment of itself. The pessimistic shield feat "awareness of future failure”, would be a merit that safeguards to offset the impact of that failure on self- concept , an achievement an overall assessment that is not so negative.”
― Martín Ross, THE SHIELD FEATS THEORY: a different hypothesis concerning the etiology of delusions and other disorders.