Bias in favour of self-selected hypotheses is associated with delusion severity in schizophrenia.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Delusions are typically characterised by idiosyncratic, self-generated explanations used to interpret events, as opposed to the culturally normative interpretations. Thus, a bias in favour of one's own hypotheses may be a fundamental aspect of delusions. METHODS: We tested this possibility in the current study by comparing judgements of self-selected hypotheses to judgements of externally selected ones in a probabilistic reasoning task. This allowed us to equate self- and externally selected hypotheses in terms of objectively quantifiable supporting evidence. It is normal to be biased in favour of self-selected hypotheses, but we expected this bias to be exacerbated in schizophrenia patients relative to healthy and psychiatric controls, and to be correlated with the severity of delusions in the schizophrenia sample. RESULTS: As expected, all groups showed the self-selection bias. Although this bias was not increased in schizophrenia patients relative to the control groups, it was significantly correlated with the severity of delusions in the schizophrenia sample. CONCLUSIONS: These results fit with an account holding that the hypersalience of an individual's own interpretations of events, relative to culturally normative interpretations, may manifest in a self-selection bias, contributing to the delusional state in schizophrenia.