This study tested the hypothesis that the schizophrenic's over-responsiveness to social censure accounts for the schizophrenic's impairment in learning in a generalization paradigm. The hypothesis was investigated in two studies eliminating stress, task complexity, and the effects of subject-examiner interactions. The results support the original hypothesis, but suggest that the effects are subtle and somewhat transitory. The data are difficult to explain in terms of Garmezy's later reformulation.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BussA. H.WienerM.BussE.Stimulus generalization as a function of verbal reinforcement combinations. J. exp. Psychol., 1954, 48, 433–436.
2.
CavanaughD. K.CohenW.LangP. J.The effect of “social censure” and “social approval” on the psychomotor performance of schizophrenics. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1960, 60, 213–218.
3.
FischerE. H.Task performance of chronic schizophrenics as a function of verbal evaluation and social proximity. J. clin. Psychol., 1963, 19, 176–178.
4.
GarmezyN.Stimulus differentiation by schizophrenics and normal subjects under conditions of reward and punishment. J. Pers., 1952, 20, 253–276.
5.
GarmezyN.Some determiners and characteristics of learning research in schizophrenia. Amer. J. Orthopsychiat., 1964, 34, 643–651.
6.
GoodsteinL. D.GuertinW. H.BlackburnH. L.Effects of social motivational variables on choice reaction time of schizophrenics. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1961, 62, 24–27.
7.
JohannsbnW. J.Responsiveness of chronic schizophrenics and normals to social and nonsocial feedback. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1961, 62, 106–113.
8.
JohannsenW. J.Effect of reward and punishment on motor learning by chronic schizophrenics and normals. J. clin. Psychol., 1962, 18, 204–207.
9.
LeventhalA. M.The effects of diagnostic category and reinforcers on learning without awareness. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1959, 59, 162–166.
10.
LongR. C.Praise and censure as motivating variables in the motor behavior and learning of schizophrenics. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1961, 63, 283–288.
11.
LydeckerW. A.PishkinV.MartinB.Effects of different feedback conditions on the concept identification of schizophrenics. Psychol. Rep., 1961, 9, 557–563.
12.
OlsonG.Failure and subsequent performance of schizophrenics. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1958, 57, 310–314.
13.
PishkinV.Experimenter variable in concept identification feedback of schizophrenics. Percept. mot. Skills, 1963, 16, 921–922.
14.
PishkinV.BlanchardR. J.Stimulus and social cues in concept identification of schizophrenics and normals. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1963, 67, 454–463.
15.
RodnickE. H.GarmezyN.An experimental approach to the study of motivation in schizophrenia. In JonesM. (Ed.), Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 1957. Lincoln, Neb.: Univer. Nebraska Press, 1957. Pp. 109–183.
16.
SilvermanJ.Psychological deficit reduction in schizophrenia through response-contingent noxious reinforcement. Psychol. Rep., 1963, 13, 187–210.
17.
WebbW. W.Conceptual ability of schizophrenics as a function of threat of failure. J. abnorm. soc. Psychol., 1955, 50, 221–224.
18.
WinerB. J.Statistical principles in experimental design. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1962.