Psychoticism and visual recognition thresholds

This paper presents data which are of relevance in assessing the validity of the P scale of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ; Eysenck and Eysenck. 1975). Frith (1979) suggested that a defect in inhibitory selective mechanisms constitutes the cognitive disorder underlying the positive symptomatology of schizophrenia: hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder. A priming paradigm was used to measure the operation of inhibitory mechanisms. It was predicted that, if psychosis is conceptualized as a pathological exaggeration of the features characterizing the trait of psychoticism then high P scorers should show a reduced inhibition effect. This prediction was confirmed, a negative correlation was found between P and the size of the inhibition effect. No correlation with IQ or other personality variables from the EPQ was found.