Does Latent Inhibition Underpin Creativity, Positive Schizotypy, and Anomalous Cognition?

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.

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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.