scholarly journals Exploring the role of schizotypy in creative cognition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sophie Hedley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Associative Processing ◽  
Creative Cognition

<p>Creativity is hugely important in our everyday lives. Understanding what makes some people more creative than others is not just important in traditional creative fields. Creative problem solving is the key to solving all significant challenges we face as a society, including but not limited to technological, political and environmental challenges. Mental illness, in both popular culture and in psychological science, have long been linked to creative thought. Many eminent creatives, both past and current, attribute their success to their mental illness. For example, in schizophrenia, the grandiose thinking and florid hallucinations that characterise this disorder may be supportive of creative thinking.   However, schizophrenia is characterised by severe cognitive deficits that, according to models of creativity, would be disadvantageous to creative thinking. Schizotypy is a personality trait that is characterised by some features of schizophrenia (unusual thinking, poor interpersonal communication), but is not accompanied by the same severe cognitive deficits seen in schizophrenia. Based on this view, it is reasonable to assume that people high on schizotypal traits may be more creative than those who are low on schizotypal traits.   While there a number of studies examining this relationship, findings are inconsistent, with effect sizes ranging from -.42 to .8. In my thesis, I explored a) whether there was a relationship between schizotypy and creativity and b) whether that relationship could be explained by underlying differences in cognitive processing (associative processing and executive control). I predicted that positive schizotypy in particular (typified by unusual thinking, superstitious beliefs) would be positively correlated with schizotypy in three different measures of creativity (two performance based tasks and one self-report measure) in two different samples of participants.   In Chapters 3 + 4, I tested the relationship between schizotypy and creativity using two different methods. In chapter 3, I found no evidence for the predicted effect. In fact, I found a negative association between positive schizotypy and scores on one measure of creativity (the Remote Associates test) and a positive association between negative schizotypy (characterised by interpersonal deficits) and performance on the RAT. These effects did not replicate in the second sample. Finally, there was a positive association between disorganised schizotypy and creativity on the Alternate Uses task. The results of Chapter 4, using a latent profile analytic approach, mirrored the results of Chapter 3. Finally, Chapter 5 found no support for any relationship being mediated by associative processing or executive control; however, there was partial support for two models of creativity. Overall, evidence suggests that schizotypal traits are not helpful for creativity. These results shed light on some of the challenges when conducting research regarding both schizotypy and creativity.</p>

scholarly journals Exploring the role of schizotypy in creative cognition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sophie Hedley
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Interpersonal Communication ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Associative Processing ◽  
Creative Cognition

<p>Creativity is hugely important in our everyday lives. Understanding what makes some people more creative than others is not just important in traditional creative fields. Creative problem solving is the key to solving all significant challenges we face as a society, including but not limited to technological, political and environmental challenges. Mental illness, in both popular culture and in psychological science, have long been linked to creative thought. Many eminent creatives, both past and current, attribute their success to their mental illness. For example, in schizophrenia, the grandiose thinking and florid hallucinations that characterise this disorder may be supportive of creative thinking.   However, schizophrenia is characterised by severe cognitive deficits that, according to models of creativity, would be disadvantageous to creative thinking. Schizotypy is a personality trait that is characterised by some features of schizophrenia (unusual thinking, poor interpersonal communication), but is not accompanied by the same severe cognitive deficits seen in schizophrenia. Based on this view, it is reasonable to assume that people high on schizotypal traits may be more creative than those who are low on schizotypal traits.   While there a number of studies examining this relationship, findings are inconsistent, with effect sizes ranging from -.42 to .8. In my thesis, I explored a) whether there was a relationship between schizotypy and creativity and b) whether that relationship could be explained by underlying differences in cognitive processing (associative processing and executive control). I predicted that positive schizotypy in particular (typified by unusual thinking, superstitious beliefs) would be positively correlated with schizotypy in three different measures of creativity (two performance based tasks and one self-report measure) in two different samples of participants.   In Chapters 3 + 4, I tested the relationship between schizotypy and creativity using two different methods. In chapter 3, I found no evidence for the predicted effect. In fact, I found a negative association between positive schizotypy and scores on one measure of creativity (the Remote Associates test) and a positive association between negative schizotypy (characterised by interpersonal deficits) and performance on the RAT. These effects did not replicate in the second sample. Finally, there was a positive association between disorganised schizotypy and creativity on the Alternate Uses task. The results of Chapter 4, using a latent profile analytic approach, mirrored the results of Chapter 3. Finally, Chapter 5 found no support for any relationship being mediated by associative processing or executive control; however, there was partial support for two models of creativity. Overall, evidence suggests that schizotypal traits are not helpful for creativity. These results shed light on some of the challenges when conducting research regarding both schizotypy and creativity.</p>

Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 1371-1377 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN G. HANLY ◽  
LI SU ◽  
ANTONINA OMISADE ◽  
VERNON T. FAREWELL ◽  
JOHN D. FISK
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Response Speed ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Education Status

Objective.We examined the association between responses on a screening questionnaire and objective performance on a computer-administered test of cognitive abilities in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods.The Cognitive Symptom Inventory (CSI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS) questionnaires were compared in patients with SLE or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) was used to evaluate cognitive performance in patients with SLE. Efficiency of performance was measured by “throughput” (number of correct responses per minute) and “inverse efficiency” (response speed/proportion of correct responses). Linear regression was applied to log-transformed CSI scores to examine their associations with ANAM scores and other factors.Results.Patients with SLE (n = 68) or RA (n = 33) were similar in age, sex, ethnicity, and education status (p > 0.05). Patients with SLE had higher total CSI scores (33.6 ± 10.5 vs 29.4 ± 6.8, respectively; p = 0.041) and attention/concentration subscale CSI scores (15.7 ± 5.3 vs 13.3 ± 3.4; p = 0.016) compared to patients with RA. In patients with SLE there was a positive association between CSI scores and neuropsychiatric (NP) events at the time of testing (p = 0.0006), HADS anxiety (p < 0.0001), and depression (p < 0.0001) scores. After adjustment for age, education, disease duration, and NP events at the time of testing, there was no significant association (p > 0.05) between ANAM and CSI scores in patients with SLE. The results were similar using either “throughput” or “inverse efficiency” or the number of impaired ANAM subscales after adjustment for simple reaction time.Conclusion.The CSI self-report questionnaire of cognitive symptoms does not reliably screen for efficiency of cognitive processing in patients with SLE. Rather, cognitive complaints reported in the CSI are influenced by the presence of anxiety and depression.

Crisis Occurrence and Resolution in Patients with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness

Crisis ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 160-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul S. Links ◽  
Rahel Eynan ◽  
Jeffrey S. Ball ◽  
Aiala Barr ◽  
Sean Rourke
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Community Treatment ◽  
Persistent Mental Illness ◽  
Crisis Events ◽  
Symptom Distress Scale ◽  
Distress Scale

Abstract. Assertive community treatment appears to have limited impact on the risk of suicide in persons with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). This exploratory prospective study attempts to understand this observation by studying the contribution of suicidality to the occurrence of crisis events in patients with SPMI. Specifically, an observer-rated measure of the need for hospitalization, the Crisis Triage Rating Scale, was completed at baseline, crisis occurrence, and resolution to determine how much the level of suicidality contributed to the deemed level of crisis. Second, observer-ratings of suicidal ideation, the Modified Scale for Suicide Ideation, and psychopathology and suicidality, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, were measured at baseline, crisis occurrence, and resolution. A self-report measure of distress, the Symptom Distress Scale, was completed at baseline, crisis occurrence, and resolution. Finally, the patients' crisis experiences were recorded qualitatively to compare with quantitative measures of suicidality. Almost 40% of the subjects experienced crisis events and more than a quarter of these events were judged to be severe enough to warrant the need for hospitalization. Our findings suggest that elevation of psychiatric symptoms is a major contributor to the crisis occurrences of individuals with SPMI; although the risk of suicide may have to be conceived as somewhat separate from crisis occurrence.

Individual differences in white and grey matter structure associated with verbal habits of thought

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin C. Hayes ◽  
Katherine L Alfred ◽  
Rachel Pizzie ◽  
Joshua S. Cetron ◽  
David J. M. Kraemer
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Self Report ◽  
White Matter Tracts

Modality specific encoding habits account for a significant portion of individual differences reflected in functional activation during cognitive processing. Yet, little is known about how these habits of thought influence long-term structural changes in the brain. Traditionally, habits of thought have been assessed using self-report questionnaires such as the visualizer-verbalizer questionnaire. Here, rather than relying on subjective reports, we measured habits of thought using a novel behavioral task assessing attentional biases toward picture and word stimuli. Hypothesizing that verbal habits of thought are reflected in the structural integrity of white matter tracts and cortical regions of interest, we used diffusion tensor imaging and volumetric analyses to assess this prediction. Using a whole-brain approach, we show that word bias is associated with increased volume in several bilateral language regions, in both white and grey matter parcels. Additionally, connectivity within white matter tracts within an a priori speech production network increased as a function of word bias. These results demonstrate long-term structural and morphological differences associated with verbal habits of thought.

scholarly journals Stigma Resistance in Stable Schizophrenia: The Relative Contributions of Stereotype Endorsement, Self-Reflection, Self-Esteem, and Coping Styles

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (10) ◽  
pp. 735-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Chen Kao ◽  
Yin-Ju Lien ◽  
Hsin-An Chang ◽  
Nian-Sheng Tzeng ◽  
Chin-Bin Yeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Religious Coping ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Positive Reinterpretation ◽  
Stigma Resistance

Objective: Stigma resistance (SR) has recently emerged as a prominent aspect of research on recovery from schizophrenia, partly because studies have suggested that the development of stigma-resisting beliefs may help individuals lead a fulfilling life and recover from their mental illness. The present study assessed the relationship between personal SR ability and prediction variables such as self-stigma, self-esteem, self-reflection, coping styles, and psychotic symptomatology. Method: We performed an exploratory cross-sectional study of 170 community-dwelling patients with schizophrenia. Self-stigma, self-esteem, self-reflection, coping skills, and SR were assessed through self-report. Psychotic symptom severity was rated by the interviewers. Factors showing significant association in univariate analyses were included in a stepwise backward regression model. Results: Stepwise regressions revealed that acceptance of stereotypes of mental illness, self-esteem, self-reflection, and only 2 adaptive coping strategies (positive reinterpretation and religious coping) were significant predictors of SR. The prediction model accounted for 27.1% of the variance in the SR subscale score in our sample. Conclusions: Greater reflective capacity, greater self-esteem, greater preferences for positive reinterpretation and religious coping, and fewer endorsements of the stereotypes of mental illness may be key factors that relate to higher levels of SR. These factors are potentially modifiable in tailored interventions, and such modification may produce considerable improvements in the SR of the investigated population. This study has implications for psychosocial rehabilitation and emerging views of recovery from mental illness.

Self-Report and Objective Measures of ADHD-Related Behaviors in Parents of Preschool Children at Risk for ADHD

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 639-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Curko Kera ◽  
David J. Marks ◽  
Olga G. Berwid ◽  
Amita Santra ◽  
Jeffrey M. Halperin
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Preschool Children ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Attention Deficit Disorder ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Significant Group

ABSTRACTObjective: Few studies have used a combination of objective and self-report measures to examine neuropsychological and behavioral functioning in parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study examined attention and inhibitory control in the parents of preschool children who were rated as “at risk” for developing ADHD as compared with parents of controls.Methods:Preschool children (N=53) were divided into at risk for ADHD and control groups based on parent and teacher ratings of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition ADHD symptoms. One parent of each child was administered an identical pairs Continuous Performance Test (CPTIP), a Go/No-Go task, and the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale for Adults.Results: Parents of preschoolers at risk for ADHD showed a pattern of responding on measures of vigilance characterized by slower reaction times and increased commission errors as compared with parents of controls. There were no significant group differences on self-report measures on the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale for Adults.Conclusion: Parents of preschoolers at risk for ADHD appear to exhibit cognitive processing deficits that may not be evident using self-report measures. Further research is needed to more clearly identify the specific nature of these neuropsychological deficits and to determine whether they have a negative impact on their children.

Quality of parenting and vulnerability to depression: results from a family study

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. DUGGAN ◽  
P. SHAM ◽  
C. MINNE ◽  
A. LEE ◽  
R. MURRAY
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Family Study ◽  
Past History ◽  
Familial Risk ◽  
Self Report ◽  
History Of ◽  
Quality Of Parenting ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
History Of Depression

Background. We examined a group of subjects at familial risk of depression and explored the relationship between the perceptions of parents and a history of depression. We also investigated: (a) whether any difference in perceived parenting found between those with and without a past history of depression was an artefact of the depression; and (b) whether the relationship between parenting and depression was explained by neuroticism.Method. We took a sample of first-degree relatives selected from a family study in depression and subdivided them by their history of mental illness on the SADS-L, into those: (a) without a history of mental illness (N=43); and (b) those who had fully recovered from an episode of RDC major depression (N=34). We compared the perceptions of parenting, as measured by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), in these two groups having adjusted for the effect of neuroticism and subsyndromal depressive symptoms. We also had informants report on parenting of their siblings, the latter being subdivided into those with and without a past history of depression.Results. Relatives with a past history of depression showed lower care scores for both mother and father combined compared with the never ill relatives. The presence of a history of depression was associated with a non-significant reduction in the self-report care scores compared to the siblings report. Vulnerable personality (as measured by high neuroticism) and low perceived care were both found to exert independent effects in discriminating between the scores of relatives with and without a history of depression and there was no interaction between them.Conclusion. This study confirmed that low perceived parental care was associated with a past history of depression, that it was not entirely an artefact of having been depressed, and suggested that this association was partially independent of neuroticism.

Emotion modulates cognitive flexibility in patients with major depression

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 1373-1382 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. C. Murphy ◽  
A. Michael ◽  
B. J. Sahakian
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
The Other ◽  
Depressed Patients ◽  
Performance Accuracy ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Emotional Category ◽  
And Control

BackgroundDepression is associated with alterations of emotional and cognitive processing, and executive control in particular. Previous research has shown that depressed patients are impaired in their ability to shift attention from one emotional category to another, but whether this shifting deficit is more evident on emotional relative to non-emotional cognitive control tasks remains unclear.MethodThe performance of patients with major depressive disorder and matched healthy control participants was compared on neutral and emotional variants of a dynamic cognitive control task that requires participants to shift attention and response from one category to another.ResultsRelative to controls, depressed patients were impaired on both tasks, particularly in terms of performance accuracy. In the neutral go/no-go task, the ability of depressed patients to flexibly shift attention and response from one class of neutral stimuli to the other was unimpaired. This contrasted with findings for the emotional go/no-go task, where responding was slower specifically on blocks of trials that required participants to shift attention and response from one emotional category to the other.ConclusionsThe present data indicate that any depression-related difficulties with cognitive flexibility and control may be particularly evident on matched tasks that require processing of relevant emotional, rather than simply neutral, stimuli. The implications of these findings for our developing understanding of cognitive and emotional control processes in depression are discussed.

scholarly journals Wisdom and fluid intelligence are dissociable in healthy older adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Cutter A. Lindbergh ◽  
Heather Romero-Kornblum ◽  
Sophia Weiner-Light ◽  
J. Clayton Young ◽  
Corrina Fonseca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthy Older Adults

ABSTRACT Objectives: The relationship between wisdom and fluid intelligence (Gf) is poorly understood, particularly in older adults. We empirically tested the magnitude of the correlation between wisdom and Gf to help determine the extent of overlap between these two constructs. Design: Cross-sectional study with preregistered hypotheses and well-powered analytic plan (https://osf.io/h3pjx). Setting: Memory and Aging Center at the University of California San Francisco, located in the USA. Participants: 141 healthy older adults (mean age = 76 years; 56% female). Measurements: Wisdom was quantified using a well-validated self-report-based scale (San Diego Wisdom Scale or SD-WISE). Gf was assessed via composite measures of processing speed (Gf-PS) and executive functioning (Gf-EF). The relationships of SD-WISE scores to Gf-PS and Gf-EF were tested in bivariate correlational analyses and multiple regression models adjusted for demographics (age, sex, and education). Exploratory analyses evaluated the relationships between SD-WISE and age, episodic memory performance, and dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortical volumes on magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Wisdom showed a small, positive association with Gf-EF (r = 0.181 [95% CI 0.016, 0.336], p = .031), which was reduced to nonsignificance upon controlling for demographics, and no association with Gf-PS (r = 0.019 [95% CI −0.179, 0.216], p = .854). Wisdom demonstrated a small, negative correlation with age (r = −0.197 [95% CI −0.351, −0.033], p = .019), but was not significantly related to episodic memory or prefrontal volumes. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that most of the variance in wisdom (>95%) is unaccounted for by Gf. The independence of wisdom from cognitive functions that reliably show age-associated declines suggests that it may hold unique potential to bolster decision-making, interpersonal functioning, and other everyday activities in older adults.

Entering the Mental Backstage: Mindfulness and Mind-Wandering among Performing Artists

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 2068-2071
Author(s):  
Avneet Kaur ◽  
Shwetha T.S
Keyword(s):  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Mind Wandering ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Years Of Experience ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Performing Artists ◽  
Creative Processes ◽  
Significant Negative Relationship ◽  
Significant Difference

Existing literature has explored the role of mindfulness and mind-wandering on creative processes. However, it has overlooked the diversity in the creative domains as well as the experience of the artist while accounting for their relationship. In the present study, mindfulness and mind wandering- deliberate and spontaneous were explored among performing artists, i.e. musicians, theatre artists, and dancers. The study also looked at the artists’ experience in their field. After an initial screening using a creativity tool, 66 performing artists were recruited, following which two self-report indices that assessed mind wandering and mindfulness were administered. The data collected was subjected to quantitative data analysis in SPSS. A Oneway ANOVA showed significant effect of the creative domain on mindfulness for the three groups, with a significant difference between musicians and dancers. Among the musicians, a significant negative relationship between mind wandering spontaneous and years of experience was seen. Among the dancers, there was a significant positive association between mind wandering spontaneous, mind wandering deliberate and years of experience. The current study highlighted the need to approach the study of creativity using a contextual perspective. Keywords: Creativity, Dance, Music, Theatre.

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