Which of the following is a positive symptom of schizophrenia?

• A. Avolition
• B. Alogia
• C. Auditory hallucinations
• D. Anhedonia

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is telling apart positive from negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Positive symptoms are experiences or behaviors that add something abnormal to a person’s mental life, such as perceptions or thoughts that aren’t based in reality. Among these, hearing voices—auditory hallucinations—is a classic example because it adds an internal sensory experience that others do not share.

Auditory hallucinations are considered a positive symptom because they present an added reality: the person hears sounds or voices without any external source. In contrast, the other options reflect negative symptoms, which involve a reduction or absence of normal functions. Avolition is a lack of motivation to initiate or sustain goal-directed activity; alogia is diminished speech output; and anhedonia is a reduced ability to experience pleasure.

So, the reason auditory hallucinations are the best answer is that they illustrate an added, abnormal experience characteristic of positive symptoms, whereas the others show deficits in normal functioning.