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. 2011 Jan 11;108(2):477-9.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1015493108. Epub 2010 Dec 27.

Distortions of mind perception in psychopathology

Kurt Gray  1 , Adrianna C Jenkins, Andrea S Heberlein, Daniel M Wegner
Affiliations

Distortions of mind perception in psychopathology

Kurt Gray et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .

Abstract

It has long been known that psychopathology can influence social perception, but a 2D framework of mind perception provides the opportunity for an integrative understanding of some disorders. We examined the covariation of mind perception with three subclinical syndromes--autism-spectrum disorder, schizotypy, and psychopathy--and found that each presents a unique mind-perception profile. Autism-spectrum disorder involves reduced perception of agency in adult humans. Schizotypy involves increased perception of both agency and experience in entities generally thought to lack minds. Psychopathy involves reduced perception of experience in adult humans, children, and animals. Disorders are differentially linked with the over- or underperception of agency and experience in a way that helps explain their real-world consequences.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Targets located by agency and experience factor scores. Vectors represent significant correlations between mind perception and increased severity of disorder (color coded). Horizontal vectors represent variation on agency and vertical vectors represent variation on experience. Diagonal vectors represent variation on both agency and experience. For example, those with higher Autism quotients ascribe less agency to adult humans (r = −0.14). Vectors are scaled to represent the magnitude of correlation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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