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Defective relationship between subjective experience and behavior in schizophrenia.
J M Danion1, E Gokalsing, P Robert
1Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Unité 405, Clinique Psychiatrique, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, France. jean-marie.danion@chru-strasbourg.fr
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|December 1, 2001
Summary
Schizophrenia patients showed impaired self-assessment of knowledge accuracy and less behavior driven by subjective experience. However, their response to incentives remained intact, suggesting potential for cognitive remediation strategies.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder characterized by a disconnect between subjective experience and observable behavior.
- Understanding this disconnect is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between subjective experience and behavioral abnormalities in schizophrenia.
- To assess cognitive functions like monitoring effectiveness, control sensitivity, and response criterion setting in schizophrenia patients.
Main Methods:
- A general knowledge task was administered to 18 schizophrenia patients and 18 healthy controls.
- Two incentive conditions were used to measure cognitive control and decision-making processes.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia patients demonstrated lower monitoring effectiveness and control sensitivity compared to controls.
- Incentive effects on response criterion values were comparable between patients and controls.
Conclusions:
- Patients with schizophrenia struggle to accurately assess their own knowledge, leading to behavior less guided by subjective experience.
- Preserved sensitivity to incentives in patients offers a promising avenue for cognitive remediation interventions.