Does latent inhibition underpin creativity, positive schizotypy and anomalous cognition?

Holt, Nicola; Simmonds-Moore, Christine; Moore, Stephen

Abstract

This paper presents two experiments in which an experimental paradigm developed to examine the efficacy of filtering mechanisms of attention, Latent Inhibition (LI), was adapted to include a psi component. LI assesses the processing of irrelevant stimuli, thus we tested whether a psi-stimulus might be processed akin to the irrelevant stimulus. Because the processing of the irrelevant stimulus has been shown to be moderated by creativity and positive schizotypy, we hypothesized that these same variables would also moderate the processing of any psi effect. In Experiment 1, a significant LI effect was observed but no psi effect. However, non-linear cognition in the creative process (NLCC) (e.g., intuition and hypnagogia) was significantly associated with a psi-LI-like effect. In Experiment 2 there was a significant psi effect that seemed to operate under the same conditions as LI (being attenuated with a high attentional load). However, creativity and positive schizotypy did not moderate the strength of this psi-LI-like effect. The LI effect was significantly enhanced by NLCC and attenuated by originality.

Citation

Holt, N., Simmonds-Moore, C., & Moore, S. (2020). Does latent inhibition underpin creativity, positive schizotypy and anomalous cognition?. Journal of Parapsychology, 84(2), 156-178. https://doi.org/10.30891/jopar.2020.02.02

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 12, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Dec 9, 2020
• Publication Date: Dec 9, 2020
• Deposit Date: Dec 9, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 9, 2020
• Journal: Journal of Parapsychology
• Print ISSN: 0022-3387
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 84
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 156-178
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.30891/jopar.2020.02.02
• Keywords: Latent inhibition; implicit psi; creativity; positive schizotypy; paranormal belief; cognitive complexity
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6939636