The intentionality bias in schizotypy: a social matter

ABSTRACT

Introduction

We aimed to investigate the association between schizotypy and intentionality bias, the tendency to interpret ambiguous actions as being intentional, for social and non-social actions separately. This bias contributes to interpersonal difficulties, and has been associated with psychotic symptoms, such as delusions. However, results have been inconsistent for an association between putative psychosis proneness, schizotypy, and intentionality bias. Further, the multidimensional nature of schizotypy has not been considered. Agreeableness was measured to examine the specificity of the relationship, and inhibition to examine its potential role as a mediator.

Methods

Two online studies are reported (n = 280 and n = 163) in which participants made intentionality judgements about ambiguous actions described in sentences. They also completed questionnaire measures of schizotypy and agreeableness, and inhibitory efficiency (a sentence completion task).

Results

Schizotypy was associated with perceiving ambiguous actions as intentional, particularly in social contexts, after controlling for agreeableness. The association with social intentionality was stronger for schizotypy subscales capturing paranoia and unusual beliefs. Inhibitory efficiency as not a significant predictor of intentionality bias.

Conclusion

These finding suggest intentionality biases for social and non-social events are distinguishable. In relation to schizotypy, social situations appear to generate perceptions of intentionality. Intentionality bias represents a phenotypic cognitive risk for psychosis which should be further investigated.

KEYWORDS:

• Schizotypy
• intentionality bias

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Dr. Steven Roodenrys is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology. He has conducted research on a range of cognitive processes and is interested in how differences in cognitive processes contribute to behaviour

Dr. Emma Barkus is a Senior Lecturer at Northumbria University. Her research centres on understanding the risk factors for serious mental health disorders including psychosis. Her work seeks to clarify the mechanisms underpinning risk factors to determine the “toxic” elements of particular experiences, thought patterns and cognitive processes.

Dr. Tracey J. Woolrych is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology with research focusing on empathy, including the development of empathy, and the intersection of empathy and social cognitive processes.

Dr. Leonie M. Miller is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology. She conducts research in basic and applied settings but has a particular interest in the role of cognitive processes in determining behaviour.

Dr. Simone K. Favelle is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology. Simone's research aims to understand the perceptual and cognitive mechanisms used to process information from faces