Imaginal experiences and perceptual defence

Three studies are reported concerning the interaction between internal imagery and perceptual defence. This interaction may be a source of the magical ideation and perceptual anomalies which are thought to be a feature of schizotypal personality. The studies were designed to test the hypothesis that scores on the Magical Ideation Scale (MIS) can be predicted effectively from scores on the Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS) if defensiveness in handling imagery is included. The latter was measured instrumentally by a tachistoscope test known as the Defense Mechanism Test (DMT). Two studies (both N = 35) found MIS and TAS to be highly intercorrelated. The first study, using volunteers from the general student population, failed to find a global measure of defensiveness measured by the DMT to be a significant modulator of MIS scores. The second study using subjects with a greater frequency and variance in the reporting of anomalous experiences, did however confirm the hypothesis. In particular, projection scores together with TAS scores, were found to be a significant predictor of MIS scores (r = 0.79, p < .0001). A third study (N = 34), which compared the DMT profile of high scorers on the MIS with that of a comparison group, found the predicted differences on their DMT global scores and projection scores to be significant. The implications of these findings for understanding anomalous experiences are discussed.