Perseveration

Perseveration refers to any number of behaviors that occur repetitiously despite cessation or persistence of an eliciting stimulus. That is, perseveration is characterized by unintentional repetitive behaviors despite the lack of relevant context (continuing to perform a behavior in a situation where it no longer makes sense). Although multiple theories describe the nature of perseveration from a cognitive perspective, most researchers agree that perseveration occurs because of cognitive immaturity or abnormalities or damage to the prefrontal cortex. Perseveration occurs across all stages of human development and is commonly observed in those with neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders. Perseverative behaviors can occur across a range of response strategies, including response patterns, motor (e.g., repeatedly drawing circles despite being asked to draw one circle), and verbal behaviors ...