The influence of schizotypal traits on attention under high perceptual load

Abstract

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders (SSD) are known to be characterised by abnormalities in attentional processes, but there are inconsistencies in the literature that remain unresolved. This article considers whether perceptual resource limitations play a role in moderating attentional abnormalities in SSD. According to perceptual load theory, perceptual resource limitations can lead to attenuated or superior performance on dual-task paradigms depending on whether participants are required to process, or attempt to ignore, secondary stimuli. If SSD is associated with perceptual resource limitations, and if it represents the extreme end of an otherwise normally distributed neuropsychological phenotype, schizotypal traits in the general population should lead to disproportionate performance costs on dual-task paradigms as a function of the perceptual task demands. To test this prediction, schizotypal traits were quantified via the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) in 74 healthy volunteers, who also completed a dual-task signal detection paradigm that required participants to detect central and peripheral stimuli across conditions that varied in the overall number of stimuli presented. The results confirmed decreasing performance as the perceptual load of the task increased. More importantly, significant correlations between SPQ scores and task performance confirmed that increased schizotypal traits, particularly in the cognitive-perceptual domain, are associated with greater performance decrements under increasing perceptual load. These results confirm that attentional difficulties associated with SSD extend sub-clinically into the general population and suggest that cognitive-perceptual schizotypal traits may represent a risk factor for difficulties in the regulation of attention under increasing perceptual load.

The Prediction Analysis of Autistic and Schizotypal Traits in Attentional Networks

“…Several studies found attentional disability in individuals with higher schizotypal traits, which was consistent with the present study [ 16 - 18 ]. However, no studies investigated which attentional network had deficits in individuals with higher schizotypal traits.…”

“…Several studies found attentional disability in individuals with higher schizotypal traits, which was consistent with the present study. [16][17][18] However, no studies investigated which attentional network had deficits in individuals with higher schizotypal traits. Studies focused on schizotypal traits and attentional functions noticed that higher schizotypal traits were associated with the impaired attentional function.…”

“…Studies focused on schizotypal traits and attentional functions noticed that higher schizotypal traits were associated with the impaired attentional function. 16,17 For example, when normal people deal with external stimuli, their ability to deal with the stimuli decreases as the stimuli increase. In contrast, individuals with higher schizotypal traits experienced an even greater decline in their ability to deal with more stimuli.…”

“…In contrast, individuals with higher schizotypal traits experienced an even greater decline in their ability to deal with more stimuli. 16 Some studies found that individuals with high schizotypal traits had impaired sustained attentional function, which made them unable to pay attention for a long time. 17 Similarly, this study revealed that schizotypal traits were associated with poor executive control efficiency.…”

“…Studies also confirmed that higher autistic traits were associated with superior visual perceptual skills [ 14 ] and search skills [ 15 ]. In addition, Stotesbury et al [ 16 ] reported that individuals with higher schizotypal traits had greater performance decrements of attentional function when they needed to pay attention to lots of stimuli. Researchers also found that sustained attentional deficits were associated with individuals of higher schizotypal traits [ 17 , 18 ].…”