Which set describes negative symptoms commonly observed in schizophrenia?

• A. Diminished affect, alogia, avolition, anhedonia, and social withdrawal.
• B. Delusions and hallucinations.
• C. Hyperactivity and agitation.
• D. Intact affect and increased motivation.

Answer: (A)

Negative symptoms are reductions in normal functioning, reflecting deficits rather than additions to experience. In schizophrenia, the classic cluster includes diminished emotional expression (diminished affect), poverty of speech (alogia), lack of motivation (avolition), reduced ability to feel pleasure (anhedonia), and social withdrawal. This set neatly captures those core deficits across affect, speech, motivation, and social engagement.

Delusions and hallucinations are positive symptoms—new or added experiences—so they aren’t describing the deficit side of the illness. Hyperactivity and agitation are more about increased motor or arousal states and aren’t the defining negative features. Intact affect and increased motivation describe normal or even enhanced functioning, contradicting the negative-symptom profile.