Latent Inhibition and the Semantic Network
Latent inhibition (LI) is a phenomenon by which preexposure to the conditioned stimulus (CS) retards the subsequent generation of conditioned responses (CRs) when the CS is paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US)> (Lubow & Moore, 1959). Since LI is modulated by attentional processes, it has been suggested that the phenomeon might be useful in the study of those psychopathologogies in which attentional deficits are thought to be important (Lubow, et al, 1992). It is a unique and seemingly paradoxical interpretation which labels the low LI scores seen in acute, thought disordered, and unmedicated schizophrenics as displaying an attentional deficit. Since when are those who notice things other people don't being accused of not paying attention? It would seem quite the opposite, in fact. As it is a symptom of schizophrenia, hypersensitivity to one's surroundings is regarded negatively; as a deficit. yet, in certain situations and under key conditions, this "deficit" often proves beneficial, in creativity for instance (Carson, 2007).
Thought-disordered (TD) schizophrenia patients do display a loack of inhibitionary processes; these evidenced not merely in their hypersensitivity, but also in their measured "hyperprimed" state of semantic activation, as shown in repeated masked category priming studies (Wentura, etal., Spitzer, 2007).
But how could uninhibited priming be related to uninhibited perception of sti8muli? I believe the answer lies in the cognitive faculty utilized in both paradigms: attention. A fluent model which integrates the serial flow of sensory information as it enters and spreads through the semantic network as the perception and interpretation of that stimulus integrates the two functions into a single interdependent framework.
Thought-disordered (TD) schizophrenia patients do display a loack of inhibitionary processes; these evidenced not merely in their hypersensitivity, but also in their measured "hyperprimed" state of semantic activation, as shown in repeated masked category priming studies (Wentura, etal., Spitzer, 2007).
But how could uninhibited priming be related to uninhibited perception of sti8muli? I believe the answer lies in the cognitive faculty utilized in both paradigms: attention. A fluent model which integrates the serial flow of sensory information as it enters and spreads through the semantic network as the perception and interpretation of that stimulus integrates the two functions into a single interdependent framework.