Does Latent Inhibition Underpin Creativity, Positive Schizotypy, and Anomalous Cognition?
Journal of Parapsychology December 1, 2020 Nicola J. Holt, Christine Simmonds-Moore, Stephen L. Moore 4 citations
Two experiments adapted a latent inhibition (LI) paradigm—normally used to study how attention filters irrelevant stimuli—to test whether a psi (psychic) stimulus might be processed like an irrelevant stimulus. Because creativity and positive schizotypy moderate how irrelevant stimuli are processed, the authors hypothesized these variables would also moderate any psi effect. In Experiment 1, a standard LI effect appeared but no psi effect; however, non-linear cognition in the creative process (e.g., intuition, hypnagogia) was significantly linked to a psi-LI-like effect. In Experiment 2, a significant psi effect emerged that seemed to operate under the same conditions as LI (attenuated by high attentional load), but creativity and positive schizotypy did not moderate its strength. The LI effect was significantly enhanced by non-linear cognition and attenuated by originality.