Interpersonal judgements of schizophrenics: A golden section study

Normal subjects typically categorize acquaintances on bipolar dimensions consisting of pairs of contrasting descriptive adjectives by using positive adjectives in the golden section ratio, i.e. 62 percent cent of the time. This study compared the performance of thought-disordered and non-thought-disordered schizophrenics on a similar task, using acquaintances and inanimate objects. Subjects generated six evaluatively positive figures (three acquaintances and three objects) and six negative figures (three acquaintances and three objects) and categorized them and themselves using either pole of 12 pairs of contrasting descriptive adjectives. Positive adjectives were assigned to objects 59.2 per cent and to acquaintances 62.8 per cent of the time. Overall, positive adjectives were assigned 61.0 per cent of the time. There were no differences between TD and NTD subjects. Subjects rated acquaintances positively (62.0 per cent) significantly more often than objects (P less than 0.05). Results supported the fundamental nature of the GS in interpersonal relations and the idea that schizophrenics identify with and differentiate themselves from others in the same way as normals.