Individual differences in schizotypy as reflected in cognitive measures of inhibition

Three experiments are reported using the ‘negative priming’ paradigm to investigate cognitive differences in normal schizotypal subjects. Lists of Stroop colour words were presented at different display times in a number of priming and non-priming conditions, in one of which the ignored colour name predicted the colour of the next target item. The increased RT latencies to the target normally found in this condition were reduced, or even reversed, in high schizotypal subjects selected on the basis of a new schizotypy scale (STA). This effect was confined to a very short presentation time (100 ms), suggesting that schizotypy is associated with weakened inhibition operating in the early (automatic) stages of information processing. The familiar Stroop (interference) effect was related overall to negative priming, but was not responsible for the schizotypy differences.