Creativity: Schizophrenia’s ’Missing Link’?

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Formal Thought Disorder as Iterative Ambiguation; the Cognitive Constraints on Figurative Thought, Language, and Communication: Neurocognitive Correlates?

  • IRAS ID

    225295

  • Contact name

    Oliver Delgaram-Nejad

  • Contact email

    oliver.delgaram-nejad@stu.mmu.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    Manchester Metropolitan University

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 0 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    Schizophrenia sometimes involves Formal Thought Disorder (FTD), a set of symptoms that influence a person’s ability to organise language and express ideas. Linguistic creativity (that is, the techniques that creative writers employ) involves the deliberate manipulation of language at these same levels. Whilst some have theorized a potential relationship between FTD and creativity, no quantitative investigations of this type can be found. Based on the view that FTD is less a disorder of language competence and rather a state of involuntary creativity, this study explores the possibility that both processes share neurocognitive mechanisms. The researchers propose a quantitative investigation of this question, which involves a short battery of psycholinguistic tasks (primary study) followed by a brief semi-structured interview (secondary study): N.B., primary study participants must opt-in to the secondary study. The data obtained from this work will contribute to ongoing debates concerning the nature and origins of FTD and, inversely, those of creativity; the social and professional attitudes toward diagnosis and treatment; and what it means to live with schizophrenia. This study requires participants with historic experience of schizophrenia, FTD, both, or neither; who have not required treatment in an inpatient hospital setting for over two years. It will be conducted at one NHS site, and the full battery will not exceed two hours. Each task measures interpretation: there are no correct or incorrect answers. This study asks: to what extent are the mechanisms that produce linguistic creativity involved in schizophrenia?

  • REC name

    South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    18/SW/0129

  • Date of REC Opinion

    3 Jul 2018

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion