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Social functioning in schizotypy: How affect influences social behavior in daily life
Author(s) -
Minor Kyle S.,
Hardin Kathryn L.,
Beaudette Danielle M.,
Waters Lesley C.,
White Anna L.,
Gonzenbach Virgilio,
Robbins Megan L.
Publication year - 2020
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/jclp.23010
Subject(s) - schizotypy , psychology , affect (linguistics) , developmental psychology , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , social functioning , social relation , psychosis , social psychology , interpersonal relationship , psychiatry , communication
Objective 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. Method 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. Results 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. Conclusion 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.