Objectives Predictive processing posits that perception emerges from inferential processes within a hierarchical cortical system. Alterations of these processes may result in psychotic experiences, such as hallucinations and delusions. Central to the predictive processing account of psychosis is the notion of aberrant weights attributed to prior information and sensory input. Based on the notion that previous perceptual choices represent a relevant source of prior information, we here asked whether the propensity towards psychotic experiences may be related to altered choice history biases in perceptual decision-making. Methods We investigated the relationship between choice history biases in perceptual decision-making and psychosis proneness in the general population. Choice history biases and their adaptation to experimentally induced changes in stimulus serial dependencies were investigated in decision-making tasks with auditory (experiment 1) and visual (experiment 2) stimuli. We further explored a potential compensatory mechanism for reduced choice history biases by reliance on predictive cross-modal cues. Results In line with our preregistered hypothesis, psychosis proneness was associated with decreased choice history biases in both experiments. This association is generalized across conditions with and without stimulus serial dependencies. We did not find consistent evidence for a compensatory reliance on cue information in psychosis-prone individuals across experiments. Conclusions Our results show reduced choice history biases in psychosis proneness. A compensatory mechanism between implicit choice history effects and explicit cue information is not supported unequivocally by our data.

Background. Predictive processing posits that perception emerges from inferential processes within a hierarchical cortical system. Alterations of these processes may result in psychotic experiences, such as hallucinations and delusions. Central to the predictive processing account of psychosis is the notion of aberrant weights attributed to prior information and sensory input across the cortical hierarchy. Specifically, aberrant perceptual inference in psychosis has been proposed to result from decreased reliance on priors at low hierarchical levels. Study Design. We investigated the relationship between choice history biases in perceptual decision-making - as a proxy for low-level priors - and psychosis proneness in the general population. Choice history biases and their adaptation to experimentally induced changes in stimulus serial dependencies were investigated in decision-making tasks with auditory (Experiment 1) and visual (Experiment 2) stimuli. We further explored a potential compensatory mechanism for reduced choice history biases by higher-level priors based on predictive cross-modal cues. Results. In line with our preregistered hypothesis, psychosis proneness was associated with decreased choice history biases in both experiments. This association generalized across conditions with and without stimulus serial dependencies. A compensatory reliance on high-level beliefs in psychosis prone individuals was observed in Experiment 2, but not in Experiment 1.Conclusions. Our results support the notion of imprecise low-level priors in psychosis proneness, in line with predictive processing accounts of psychosis. A compensatory mechanism between low- and higher-level beliefs is not supported unequivocally by our data.