Norton frequently perceives voices that are not connected to any external source, instructing him to perform unusual tasks. Recently, he completed constructing a concrete pad in his backyard, believing it is a landing site for a UFO. The voices have claimed that the spacecraft will arrive during the weekend and transport him to an advanced civilization located 27 light years away from Earth. What type of symptom is Norton experiencing with these voices?
Explanation
Norton is hearing voices that have no external origin, which are commanding him to take specific actions. Such experiences are classified as hallucinations, which are sensory perceptions occurring without any real external stimulus. Delusions refer to false fixed beliefs, compulsions are repetitive behaviors, and loosening of associations refers to disorganized thought patterns. Therefore, the correct identification of the voices is hallucinations.