Linguistic marker of schizotypy: a study on nominal reference

Abstract

Semantic impairments are considered linguistic identifiers of schizotypal personality disorder. Particularly, failures in building reference of nominal expressions have been said to distinguish schizophrenia, high-schizotypy and control groups, and these failures reflect difficulties in using linguistic contextual cues. Our experimental study investigated covariances between schizotypal traits, in a nonclinical population, and interpretations of definite singular nominal expressions as referring either to kinds of objects (generic reading) or to specific objects (specific reading). The experiment was conducted in Brazilian Portuguese, where specific reading is the strong/default meaning of definite singular nominals, while generic reading is the weak meaning, being dependent on contextual information. Results indicate associations between interpretation of definite singular nominals and two schizotypal traits: constricted affect (a negative trait) and unusual perceptual experiences (a positive trait). Speakers in general had preference for assigning specific interpretations to definite singular nominals. Those with higher measurements of constricted affect and lower traits of unusual perceptual experiences, however, showed significant higher preference for this reading with an additive effect in discourse-contexts containing cues for specificity. This suggests that schizotypal traits might manifest themselves within language as a tendency to hold onto strong meaning.