Intrusion of Associative Distractors into Conceptual Performance by Acute Schizophrenics: Role of Associative Strength

Abstract

37 acute schizophrenic patients were given a test measuring the extent to which associatively linked distractors intruded inappropriately into the formation of concepts. The test was administered both on admission to the hospital and after 6 wk. of phenothiazine or placebo treatment. Distractors were divided into four levels ranging from strong to weak associative linkages with relevant concept words. Stronger associative linkages in distractors were associated with more conceptual errors at both the pre- and post-treatment points (p < .001). These findings provide further support for the view that cognitive pathology in schizophrenia is characterized by pathological distractibility rather than loss in “abstract attitude.”