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Arousal and maintenance of schizophrenic attention
Author(s) -
Hirt Michael,
Pithers William
Publication year - 1990
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(199001)46:1<15::aid-jclp2270460103>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - psychology , arousal , low arousal theory , clinical psychology , cognitive psychology , psychotherapist , developmental psychology , social psychology
Preparatory interval, the length of time between a warning signal and the imperative stimulus, has been a major independent variable in studies that have examined reaction times of schizophrenics. Based on the hypothesis that schizophrenics have difficulty maintaining a heightened “set” to respond, long preparatory intervals (e.g., 7 seconds) have been predominant. However, long preparatory intervals do not permit an evaluation of the time course required to attain a heightened attentional state. This study employs preparatory intervals that range between 0 and 4000 msec in order to assess the arousal and maintenance of a heightened attentional state in schizophrenics ( N = 10) and a normal control group ( N = 10). The data suggest that schizophrenics may attain a heightened alertness more rapidly than normals. Schizophrenics are unable to maintain this state of alertness as competently as normal subjects. A hypothetical rationale for this finding is proposed.