Dual-process theory, conflict processing, and delusional belief.

Dual-process theory, conflict processing, and delusional belief. Clin Psychol Rev. 2019 Jun 12;72:101748 Authors: Bronstein MV, Pennycook G, Joormann J, Corlett PR, Cannon TD Abstract Many reasoning biases that may contribute to delusion formation and/or maintenance are common in healthy individuals. Research indicating that reasoning in the general population proceeds via analytic processes (which depend upon working memory and support hypothetical thought) and intuitive processes (which are autonomous and independent of working memory) may therefore help uncover the source of these biases. Consistent with this possibility, recent studies imply that impaired conflict processing might reduce engagement in analytic reasoning, thereby producing reasoning biases and promoting delusions in individuals with schizophrenia. Progress toward understanding this potential pathway to delusions is currently impeded by ambiguity about whether any of these deficits or biases is necessary or sufficient for the formation and maintenance of delusions. Resolving this ambiguity requires consideration of whether particular cognitive deficits or biases in this putative pathway have causal primacy over other processes that may also participate in the causation of delusions. Accordingly, the present manuscript critically evaluates whether impaired conflict processing is the primary initiating deficit in the generation of reasoning biases that may promote th...
Source: Clinical Psychology Review - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Clin Psychol Rev Source Type: research