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Real world referencing and schizophrenia: are we experiencing the same reality?
Steffen Landgraf1, Marie-Odile Krebs, Jean-Pierre Olié
1Department of Psychology, Humboldt University, Rudower Chaussee 18, 12489 Berlin, Germany. Steffen.Landgraf@inserm.fr
Neuropsychologia
|June 15, 2010
Summary
Schizophrenia patients struggle with non-egocentric viewpoints, showing impairments in adopting allocentric perspectives and switching between egocentric and landmark-centered frames of reference. Egocentric referencing remains intact.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Spatial Cognition
Background:
- Schizophrenia is characterized by difficulties distinguishing self and other perspectives.
- Perspective-taking is crucial for spatial referencing (egocentric and allocentric).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if schizophrenia patients can adopt and maintain non-egocentric viewpoints in a complex virtual environment.
- To assess spatial referencing abilities in schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- 24 chronic schizophrenia outpatients and 25 controls completed tasks in a virtual environment.
- Participants identified the closest trash can from egocentric (self-centered), unstable allocentric (object-centered), and stable allocentric (landmark-centered) viewpoints.
- Measures included reaction time, error rate, and task switch costs.
Main Results:
- Schizophrenia patients exhibited preserved egocentric reaction times but increased reaction times and error rates in allocentric conditions.
- Switch costs were altered when shifting between egocentric and allocentric perspectives.
- Patients showed impaired adoption of allocentric viewpoints and switching between egocentric and landmark-centered frames.
Conclusions:
- Egocentric spatial referencing is preserved in schizophrenia.
- Allocentric referencing and perspective-switching abilities are impaired in schizophrenia patients.
- Difficulties in non-egocentric referencing may contribute to altered social and personal world comprehension in schizophrenia.
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