Procedure for Study of Reality Testing in Schizophrenics

Abstract

Perky's (1910) method of studying perception and imagery was adapted to study reality testing in schizophrenia. 10 schizophrenic and 10 non-schizophrenic Ss were seen in 2 identical sessions during which they were asked to differentiate between sounds they imagined and sounds they heard through earphones. The schizophrenic Ss, although reporting fewer images, manifested more perceptual distortions and more misperceptions of actual sounds as images. The procedure described seems to hold promise as both a research tool and a diagnostic technique for assessing reality testing in the laboratory.