Social functioning in schizotypy: How affect influences social behavior in daily life

Social deficits are already exhibited by people at risk for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Technological advances have made passive detection of social deficits possible at granular levels.

In this real-world study, we tested if schizotypy status (high/low) predicted two types of social behavior: (1) being around other people; and (2) actively socializing with others. We also examined if schizotypy influences relationships between social behavior and affect using subjective and objective instruments.

Our findings revealed that socializing with others was significantly decreased in the high schizotypy group. Positive affect increased in social situations and predicted later social behavior in those low, but not high, in schizotypy.

Decreased social behavior in schizotypy may be explained, in part, by these individuals being less incentivized than their peers to pursue social situations. Future studies should test this explanation in larger samples exhibiting elevated positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy traits.