Among the most consistently replicated findings in literature addressing the latent structure of psychopathology is evidence for a discrete latent class of individuals who are vulnerable to schizophrenia (schizotypes). Rawlings, Williams, Haslam, and Claridge (2008) challenge these findings by subjecting schizotypy scale scores to taxometric analysis, using a data simulation technique to accomm...

Mental time travel is the capacity to imagine the autobiographical past and future. Schizotypy is a dimensional measure of psychosis-like traits found to be associated with creativity and imagination. Here, we examine the phenomenological qualities of mental time travel in highly schizotypal individuals. After recollecting past episodes (autobiographical memory) and imagining future events (epi...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Previous research has indicated abnormal semantic activation in individuals scoring higher in schizotypy. In the current experiment, semantic activation was examined by using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm of false memories. METHODS Participants were assessed for schizotypy using the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings (OLIFE). Participants studied lists of...

Insight problem solving requires restructuring of a problem space by stepping out of the framework provided by the commonly activated cognitive schemas and acquiring a new perspective on the problem. Schizotypy has been linked with loosened associative and overinclusive thinking that may be advantageous for this process. The present study tested this hypothesis and found that individuals with a...

The aims of this study were to gain a better understanding of adverse life events connected with the development of schizotypal personality traits and, also, to examine whether subclinical schizotypy has a relationship with vulnerability to traumatic intrusions and avoidance. In a cross-sectional design, 198 undergraduate students completed the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experie...

The current experiment examined emotional processing difficulties related to self referential material in high schizotypal individuals employing the mnemic neglect paradigm. Participants read about behaviors, in reference to themselves, that were either central or peripheral, and positive or negative, before recalling those behaviors. Levels of self reported unusual experiences and cognitive di...

Our research group was interested to read the study by Oertel et al. (2009) which found a greater vividness of visual mental imagery in patients with schizophrenia, first-degree relatives, and high-schizotypy controls when compared to low-schizotypy controls, indicating that vivid mental imagery may be an independent symptom and trait marker for the psychosis continuum. However, we note that th...

BACKGROUND Schizotypal traits in adolescents from the general population represent the behavioral expression of liability for psychotic disorders. Schizotypy assessment in this sector of population has advanced considerably in the last few years; however, it is necessary to incorporate recent advances in psychological and educational measurement. OBJECTIVE The main goal of this study was to d...

Schizophrenia-spectrum risk alleles may persist in the population, despite their reproductive costs in individuals with schizophrenia, through the possible creativity benefits of mild schizotypy in non-psychotic relatives. To assess this creativity-benefit model, we measured creativity (using 6 verbal and 8 drawing tasks), schizotypy, Big Five personality traits, and general intelligence in 225...

The schizotypy analog allows researchers to control for many of the confounding factors associated with schizophrenia (e.g., medication/illicit drug use and health complications) (1–3). There are, however, still extraneous factors that should be considered when schizotypy samples are employed. The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the areas of consideration including age, educatio...