Differences in word association commonality of schizophrenics: the self-editing-deficit model vs. the partial-collapse-of-response-hierarchy hypothesis.

Schizophrenics matched by pairs with 26 neurotics were found to be no different in commonality scores under free association conditions on steep-slope words from Moran's (1966) word list equated for "idiodynamic set pull." Schizophrenics scored significantly lower (p less than 0.05) in commonality on flat-slope words, where steep-slope and flat-slope refer respectively to stimulus words with one or several commonly occurring associates. Matched by pairs with 23 "normal" controls, schizophrenics scored significantly lower in commonality on both steep-slope and flat-slope words under free association conditions. These findings are contrary to the prediction for the two-stage, self-editing-deficit model (Lisman & Cohen, 1972) and are consistent with the one-stage, partial-collapse-of-hierarchy hypothesis (Broen & Storms, 1966). Other results (e.g., schizophrenics obtained significantly lower commonality for Concept-referent, but not for Dimension-referent or Object-referent, steep-slope stimulus words) suggest that these models might be modified so as to take into account the idiodynamic set pull of stimulus words.