The relation between schizotypy and early attention to rejecting interactions: The influence of neuroticism

Abstract

Objectives: Schizotypy relates to rejection sensitivity (anxiety reflecting an expectancy of social exclusion) and neuroticism (excessive evaluation of negative emotions). Positive schizotypy (e.g., perceptual aberrations and odd beliefs) and negative schizotypy (e.g., social and physical anhedonia) could relate to altered attention to rejection because of neuroticism. Methods: Forty-one healthy individuals were assessed on positive and negative schizotypy and neuroticism, and event-related potentials during rejecting, accepting and neutral scenes. Participants were categorised into high, moderate and low neuroticism groups. Using temporo-spatial principal components analyses, P200 (peak latency =290 ms) and P300 amplitudes (peak latency = 390 ms) were measured, reflecting mobilisation of attention and early attention, respectively. Results: Scalp-level and cortical source analysis revealed elevated fronto-parietal N300/P300 amplitude and P200-related dorsal anterior cingulate current density during rejection than acceptance/neutral scenes. Positive schizotypy related inversely to parietal P200 amplitude during rejection. Negative schizotypy related positively to P200 middle occipital current density. Negative schizotypy related positively to parietal P300, where the association was stronger in high and moderate, than low, neuroticism groups. Conclusions: Positive and negative schizotypy relate divergently to attention to rejection. Positive schizotypy attenuates, but negative schizotypy increases rejection-related mobilisation of attention. Negative schizotypy increases early attention to rejection partly due to elevated neuroticism.

Schizotypal traits and their relation to rejection sensitivity in the general population: Their mediation by quality of life, agreeableness and neuroticism

“…The findings emphasise the need for people with schizotypal traits to have more social support and inclusion to overcome social anxiety and social avoidance. Some people with schizotypal traits have families who express criticism and hostility (Premkumar et al, 2015) and communicate poorly (Zborowski and Garske, 1993).…”

“…Schizotypal traits denoting social avoidance, that is negative schizotypy, are associated with lower extraversion and agreeableness (Kwapil et al, 2008;Swamih et al 2011). Neuroticism could relate to RS (Berenson et al, 2009), but also mediate the link between negative schizotypy and RS by increasing early attention to rejection scenes, as defined by the P300 eventrelated potential (Premkumar et al, 2015). This finding means that RS could relate to avoidance of social situations when it is accompanied by worrying about social interaction.…”

Neurodynamic correlates of response inhibition from emerging to mid adulthood

“…Also, uncertainties about upcoming events or their performance may create considerable discomfort for more neurotic individuals (Gray & McNaughton, 2000). Higher neuroticism scores have been related to increased P2 and P3 amplitudes (Premkumar, et al, 2015), and a larger feedback-related negativity (FRN) in response to uncertain feedback compared to positive or negative feedback (Hirsh & Inzlicht, 2008). Whereas personality traits were associated with both performance and ERPs in the two younger age groups in our study, no significant correlations were found for the Early 30s group.…”

Exploring electrophysiological correlates of social cognition in subclinical schizotypy

“…If schizotypy is actually a looser collection of relatively independent vulnerabilities, any single grouping variable may obscure them all. This is a widely recognized problem in schizophrenia research and has influenced dimensional approaches to schizotypy research . Similarly, group differences in overall cognitive efficiency may interact with differences in the demands of the eliciting stimulus conditions, further obscuring individual differences.…”

“…This is a widely recognized problem in schizophrenia research 47,48 and has influenced dimensional approaches to schizotypy research. 38,39 Similarly, group differences in overall cognitive efficiency may interact with differences in the demands of the eliciting stimulus conditions, further obscuring individual differences. The solutions to this problem are (1) a within-group correlational design sensitive to individual differences in ERPs, cognition and social functioning, within a broadly defined schizotypal sample representing a range of schizotypal characteristics, and (2) a minimaldemand eliciting task, requiring only passive attention to eliciting stimuli.…”