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The experimental work on cognitive processes in schizophrenia is critically reviewed with respect to its relevance in understanding schizophrenic symptomatology. Several logical and empirical issues that complicate any comprehensive attempt to relate schizophrenic symptoms and information processing are discussed. Studies germane to schizophrenic sensory/perceptual, cognitive, affective, and motor anomalies are examined, and it is concluded that the cognitive approach to these areas is promising, but further research and theory elaboration will be required in order to provide a firm basis for cognitively oriented intervention attempts.

Variations in cognitive performance across clinical or other populations may stem from one or a combination of sources. Such variation usually comprises systematic differences in duration, correctness of task performance across multiple trials, or both. Factors affecting these response properties may have to do with architecture of the cognitive system executing the

Inconsistent findings within certain areas of schizophrenia research--processing of verbal and pictorial stimuli, and hemispheric functional asymmetry--suggest the importance of examining the attentional resources associated with the cerebral hemispheres among schizophrenics. A cognitive task battery was developed which assessed the functioning of the left and right hemispheres under varying attentional loads. This battery was administered to paranoid and non-paranoid schizophrenics, and three control groups. Error rate and response latencies were monitored. It was found that the schizophrenics, particularly the non-paranoids, displayed evidence of a generalized decrease in available resources across attentional pools. In addition, response latencies were indicative of a complex interaction involving loads and visual field of stimulus presentation, which differed across schizophrenic subtypes. These lateralized effects among the schizophrenics did not interact with the differential sensitivity of the hemispheres to stimulus characteristics.