Social cognition in schizophrenia: an overview
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
David L Penn1, Lawrence J Sanna, David L Roberts
1Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA. dpenn@email.unc.edu
Abstract:
The purpose of this column is to provide an overview of social cognition in schizophrenia. The column begins with a short introduction to social cognition. Then, we describe the application of social cognition to the study of schizophrenia, with an emphasis on key domains (i.e., emotion perception, Theory of Mind, and attributional style). We conclude the column by discussing the relationship of social cognition to neurocognition, negative symptoms, and functioning, with an eye toward strategies for improving social cognition in schizophrenia.
Related Concept Videos
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
The Influence of Cognition on Affect
Cognition and Behavior
Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Thought Disorders
Disorganized and unusual thought processes mark thought disorders in schizophrenia. One key feature is disorganized speech, where an individual's conversation includes loosely...
Positive Symptoms Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in...
