[Comparison of the results of a study on superstitiousness in patients with schizophrenia and in a control group]

A high occurrence of magical contents is usually described as one of the characteristic manifestations of schizophrenic thinking. In the literature there is no agreement on the question whether quantitative intensification of the norm or qualitatively different magic contents are involved. The authors selected five best known superstitions and elaborated a 15-item examination implement affecting magical manifestations in three components of the psyche, i.e. in the cognitive, behavioral and affective one. The results obtained in a group of 45 patients affected with schizophrenia were compared with those obtained in the control group of 189 subjects. A significantly higher production was recorded in the control group. Contrary to the behavioral and affectivity components, no significant differences were found in the number of positive responses in the cognitive component. The obtained results corroborate the justification of distinguishing categories of magical thinking in normal and pathologic conditions.