This study investigated overinclusive and overexclusive thinking in chronic and acute schizophrenics, manics and schizoaffective schizophrenics. Comparison groups were comprised of depressives, character disorders, and borderline patients. A concept formation task was developed which allowed for a separate analysis of association and accuracy errors. The major findings were: (a) acute and chronic schizophrenics did not differ from each other but did differ from comparison-control groups; (b) the manic pattern differed from all other groups showing severe overinclusion and minimal overexclusion; (c) schizoaffective schizophrenics shared qualities of both the schizophrenic and manic groups but were equivalent to neither.
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