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Performance asymptotes in schizophrenia: A further test of the Broen‐Storms theory
Author(s) -
Watson Charles G.,
Wold Joyce,
Vassar Patricia,
Manifold Victor,
Kucala Teresa
Publication year - 1987
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(198705)43:3<303::aid-jclp2270430302>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - psychology , asymptote , cognition , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , storm , ceiling effect , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , psychiatry , mathematics , medicine , oceanography , geometry , alternative medicine , pathology , geology
Broen and Storms have developed a theory that attributes schizophrenic cognitive deficit to the combination of high drive levels and low response strength ceiling. The authors tested four hypotheses drawn from the theory in a multiple‐choice paired associates learning study ( N = 90). The hypotheses were that schizophrenics would demonstrate faster acquisition of reinforced (dominant) responses, lower peak performances, and greater declines in post‐peak performance than would two comparison groups. They also hypothesized that all three groups would manifest declines in number of dominant responses after peak performance levels were reached. None of the hypotheses was supported. These results, and the majority of the earlier research on the Broen‐Storms hypothesis, cast doubt on the utility of the theory.