Eye Movements During Pareidolia: Exploring Biomarkers for Thinking and Perception Problems on the Rorschach

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Eye movements (EMs) are increasingly recognized for their potential as biomarkers in understanding cognitive and perceptual processes.
• Disordered thinking is often associated with subtle alterations in cognitive and perceptual functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between specific eye movement (EM) indices and indicators of perception and thinking problems within the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS).
• To explore the utility of EM patterns as potential biomarkers for cognitive disturbances.

Main Methods:

• Sixty non-clinical participants completed the Rorschach test while their eye movements were tracked.
• Data analysis focused on EM variables related to the Perception and Thinking Problems Domain of R-PAS, including WSumCog, SevCog, and FQo%.

Main Results:

• Increased cognitive disturbances correlated with heightened exploratory eye activity but diminished processing efficiency.
• Regression analyses indicated that cognitive variables (e.g., WSumCog) were stronger predictors of these issues than perceptual variables (e.g., FQo%).
• There was limited concordance between R-PAS performance-based measures and self-report measures (BSI), highlighting the value of multi-method assessments.

Conclusions:

• Eye movement patterns during cognitive tasks may function as objective biomarkers for detecting cognitive disturbances and potential thinking problems.
• These findings support the integration of eye-tracking technology with psychometric assessments for enhanced diagnostic and research capabilities.
• Further research into EM patterns for psychotic-spectrum processes in diverse populations is warranted.