Metacognitive discrepancies in schizotypy: Divergence between subjective and objective cognitive functioning

TL;DR

The study finds that people with schizotypy often perceive their cognitive abilities as worse than they actually are, highlighting a gap between subjective and objective cognition.

Contribution

The study introduces the Subjective-Objective Discrepancy Index (SODI) to quantify metacognitive discrepancies in schizotypy.

Findings

All three schizotypy domains are linked to greater perceived cognitive difficulty compared to objective performance.

Cognitive-Perceptual schizotypy correlates with lower objective performance in attention and working memory tasks.

Disorganized schizotypy unexpectedly shows a small positive association with objective cognitive performance.

Abstract

Metacognitive discrepancies between subjective and objective cognition are increasingly recognized across the schizophrenia spectrum but remain understudied in nonclinical schizotypy. This study examined how three schizotypy dimensions (Cognitive-Perceptual, Interpersonal, and Disorganized) relate to divergence between perceived and measured cognitive functioning in emerging adults. In a large online sample of undergraduate students (N = 1039), participants completed self-report measures of schizotypy and perceived cognitive functioning (WHODAS 2.0 Cognition domain) alongside laboratory-style tasks of sustained attention (Continuous Performance Test: Identical Pairs, CPT-IP) and visuospatial working memory (2-back and 3-back). Subjective and objective scores were standardized and combined into a Subjective-Objective Discrepancy Index (SODI), with more negative values reflecting greater perceived cognitive difficulty than indicated by task performance. All three schizotypy domains were significantly associated with greater perceived cognitive difficulty relative to objective performance. Individuals higher in schizotypy reported more cognitive impairment than was reflected in their task performance. Consistent with this pattern, higher scores on all three domains predicted lower self-reported cognitive functioning. In contrast, objective cognitive performance showed a dimension-specific profile: Cognitive-Perceptual schizotypy was associated with lower performance on the combined sustained attention and working memory index, Interpersonal schizotypy showed no significant association, and Disorganized schizotypy demonstrated a small, unexpected positive association with objective performance. These findings indicate consistent metacognitive discrepancies in schizotypy, support the SODI as an integrative index of subjective–objective divergence, and suggest that metacognitive processes may represent an important consideration when conceptualizing cognition and functioning across the psychosis spectrum.

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