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Sensory perception and motoric reactivity in Schizophrenic patients
Author(s) -
Ghadirian A. M.,
Butter H. J.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(197807)34:3<629::aid-jclp2270340309>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - psychology , audiology , stimulus (psychology) , skin conductance , perception , sensory system , reactivity (psychology) , visual perception , auditory stimuli , auditory perception , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , biomedical engineering
Explored the effect of non‐signal and signal stimuli conditions upon skin conductance (SC) and finger pulse amplitude (FPA) of 8 schizophrenic patients and 6 normal controls. Both groups were assessed on a reaction time (RT) task that consisted of visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Schizophrenics were significantly slower in the perception and reaction to visual, auditory and tactile stimuli than the normal volunteers. The autonomic reactivity of schizophrenics and normals was nonsignificant during the relaxation and non‐signal stimuli conditions. However, when schizophrenics were asked to respond to signal stimuli or when an interfering stimulus was introduced, an autonomic imbalance was observed. The concept of directional fractionation provides the theoretical framework for the discussion of the autonomic results.