Flinders University Psychology: Schizophrenia Symptoms Research Report

This report presents a psychology study conducted at Flinders University investigating perceptions of schizophrenia symptoms. The research involved 220 psychology students who completed questionnaires assessing their social intentions and avoidance behaviors towards individuals exhibiting positive or negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The study examined three hypotheses: the willingness to socialize with individuals displaying positive or negative symptoms, the avoidance levels associated with each symptom type, and the impact of prior knowledge of a person's schizophrenia diagnosis on avoidance behavior. The results indicated that participants were more inclined to socialize with individuals exhibiting positive symptoms compared to negative symptoms, and prior knowledge of the condition influenced avoidance levels. The report concludes by discussing the implications of these findings for understanding public perceptions of schizophrenia and the challenges faced by those with the disorder.

PSYCOLOGY

Abstract
Present research is carried out on symptoms that are usually find out in the patients that are
suffered from Schizophrenia. In order to understand that way in which people behave and make
difference between one who have positive or negative symptom three hypothesis are prepared
and results are analyzed. On the basis of same conclusions are formed. Results show that, people
does not make big difference in terms of symptom among relevant people. However, they like to
communicate with those that have positive symptom. Apart from this, prior knowledge that one
is suffered from Schizophrenia also affects the people avoidance level towards him.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Method.............................................................................................................................................5
Participants............................................................................................................................5
Materials.................................................................................................................................5
Procedure................................................................................................................................5
Results..............................................................................................................................................6
Discussion........................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Schizophrenia is a disease that is related to the mental disorder. If one get affected from this
disease then he face a lots of problems in living a normal life. It is has been observed that
patients suffered from Schizophrenia face a problem in felling anything. Moreover, their
cognitive power reduced at very low level and they find themselves unable to think on any topic
or issue in the proper manner (Ripke and et.al., 2013). Those who suffered from Schizophrenia
cannot make any difference between reality and imaginary condition. They remain unresponsive
even any serious incident takes place in their life. It can be said that condition of the people
suffered from the mentioned disease is very critical. It is common perception among the people
that Schizophrenia is a split of personality. Majority of people that are suffered from the
mentioned disease are not violent in nature and they are not danger for those who live around
them. Schizophrenia does not comes in existence due to poor parenting and childhood experience
(Schizophrenia, 2016). There are number of factors due to which mentioned disease comes in
existence. It may cause due to hereditary which means disease is transferred from one generation
to other one. Chemical disorder in human brain is the reason due to which mentioned disease
originate. Symptoms can be classified in to two categories positive and negative. Positive
symptoms are those that add new things to human being personality. On other hand, negative
symptoms are those due to which capability of an individual get eliminated (Frith, 2014).
Example of negative symptoms are social withdraw, apathy and emotional flatness.
In order to do present research sample of 220 people is that are psychology students in
the Flinders University. This sample can be further classified gender wise and there are 173
females and 47 males. Questionnaire was distributed among the respondents which was
portioned in two parts and one of them was related to positive symptoms and other one was
related to negative symptoms. Likert scale was used in the questionnaire in order to obtain
response from respondents in better way. In the present research first hypothesis is prepared in
relation to positive and negative symptom conditions. Under this hypothesis it is identified that
what proportion of people would like to talk with the individual that positive or negative
symptoms of Schizophrenia. Apart from this, second hypothesis is prepared under which mean
avoidance score of an individuals is identified in case of positive and negative symptoms. It can

be said that in this hypothesis it is identified that to which sort of individual that positive or
negative symptom people will most avoid. It can be said that in present study an attempt is made
to identify the extent to which people will react differently to an individual that have positive or
negative symptoms. In third hypothesis respondents are classified in to two categories. In first
category, mean and standard deviation is computed in case when an individual already have
knowledge about the fact that front person is suffered from schizophrenia. On other hand, in
second category means and standard deviation is calculated when respondent does not have
knowledge about the fact that other entity is suffered from Schizophrenia. It can be said that in
present work an effort is made to identify the extent which the reaction of an individual can be
different for patient that is suffered from positive or negative symptom on the basis of varied
parameter. The results of the present study will be really helpful for those who intends to
understand the perception that people have towards individual suffered from positive or negative
symptom of schizophrenia.
Method
Participants
Participants were 220 first-year psychology students recruited from Flinders University (173
females, 47 males). Participants ranged in age from 17 to 60 years, with a modal age of 18-20
years.
Materials
The Flinders University Experiment Management System was used to administer an
electronic questionnaire on 24 different PC-compatible computers. Two different versions of the
questionnaire were utilised: one involving a scenario with a man exhibiting positive symptoms of
schizophrenia, and the other with a man exhibiting negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The
questionnaire contained questions which assessed participants’ intention to socialise with this
person (e.g., “Would you talk to this person at the bus stop”). Intention to avoid this person was
measured on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), with a mid-
point of 4 (neither disagree or agree). Participants were also asked whether they had any
knowledge of/prior experience with psychological disorders (yes/no).
Procedure
Participants completed the electronic questionnaire during one of 13 tutorials for the topic
PSYC 1102 (Psychology 1B). Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group

A viewed a scenario in which a person exhibited positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Group B
viewed a scenario in which a person exhibited negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Participants
were instructed to complete the questionnaire individually, during the tutorial period.
Results
The first hypothesis predicted that a greater percentage of people in the positive/negative
symptom condition would be happy to socialise with the person in the scenario, in comparison to
participants in the positive/negative symptom condition. Overall, 49.5% of the participants in the
positive symptom condition reported that they would talk to this person at the bus stop. In
comparison, 17.2 % of the participants in the negative symptom condition reported that they
would talk to this person at the bus stop.
The second hypothesis predicted that the mean avoidance score for the condition where the
person displayed positive symptoms of schizophrenia would be higher/lower than the mean
avoidance score for the condition where the person displayed negative symptoms of
schizophrenia. Results showed that there was only a negligible difference between the positive
symptom condition (M = 3.45, SD = 1.35) and the negative symptom condition (M = 3.89, SD =
1.41).
Overall, 149 participants reported that they had had prior experience with an individual with
a psychological disorder. The third hypothesis predicted that participants who had prior
experience with psychological disorders would have a lower/higher mean avoidance score than
participants who had no prior experience with psychological disorders. The mean avoidance
score for participants with prior knowledge (M = 4.40, SD = 1.35) was higher than the mean
avoidance score for participants without prior knowledge (M = 3.89, SD = 1.43).
Discussion
Hypothesis 1
In the first hypothesis an attempt is made to identify the results in respect to extent to which
people will like to become socialize with an individual who is suffered from positive or negative
symptoms of Schizophrenia. Research results show that out of total sample size at least half of its
proportion which is 49.7% would like to socialize with an individual who is suffered from the
positive symptoms. On other hand, 17.2% respondents would like to meet with an individual
who is suffered from negative symptoms. In order to understand that why respondents give such

kind of response it is necessary to identify that what is positive symptoms. Mentioned symptoms
are the disturbances that are newly added to the person personality. Individual suffered from
relevant symptoms make wrong ideas to take action. They frequently moving from one topic to
another while they are talking to someone. It can be said that one can easily tolerate an individual
which is suffered from positive symptom. This is because individual mental disorder is up to a
level that front person can bear. On other hand, there is a negative symptoms which refers to the
erosion of individual capability from his personality. One who is suffered from negative
symptom is socially isolated and he does not take interest in anything. This means that if any
person will try to talk with an individual that is suffered from negative symptom then he will not
receive special attention from patient. This is the reason due to which only 17% of total
respondents like to talk with individual who is suffered from negative symptom which is too
small.
Hypothesis 2
Research results show that there is no big difference in the mean values of the avoidance
score in case of positive and negative symptoms. Same trend is observed in case of standard
deviation. This result reveal that people does not makes any big difference in terms of avoiding
one that is suffered from positive symptom and other from negative symptom. However, results
are clearly revealing that most of respondents like to avoid patient that is having negative
symptoms. It is very important to identify the reason due to which there is small difference in
mean value of avoidance score for individuals that have positive or negative symptoms.
Individual whether suffered from any sort of symptom is mentally ill and due to this reason
people does not give much importance to the fact that which symptom an individual have. There
is small difference in mean values of both because for one it is monotonous and less interesting
to talk with individual that have negative symptom because relevant individual does not show
any interest during entire conversation process. Thus, it is clear that people does to not make a
big discrimination between individual that have positive or negative symptom.
Hypothesis 3
In above hypothesis mean avoidance score was evaluated for positive and negative
symptom. In this hypothesis also mean avoidance score is evaluated but in different way. Results
of third hypothesis clearly revealed that if individual that already have knowledge about the fact
that individual is suffered from Schizophrenia mean avoidance score is high. Contrary to this, if

one does not have knowledge that front person is suffered from mentioned disease mean
avoidance score is very low. These results comes in existence because if one knows that other
one have Schizophrenia then he also knows about his behavior. Thus, individual try to avoid
such kind of person. This is the reason due to which mean avoidance score is high in case when
one already knows that front person is suffered from relevant disease. On other hand, in case
when one does not have information about fact that front person is suffered from Schizophrenia
mean avoidance score is low. This happened because in such kind of situation psychologically
one emotionally become weak and show his sympathy towards relevant person and try to talk
with him. Hence, this is the reason due to which mean avoidance score is very low in case when
one does not have information that other entity is suffered from Schizophrenia. Hence, it is clear
that intensity of avoidance get changed when one already have or not have prior knowledge of
mental sickness of an individual.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion it is concluded that people often like to talk with an
individual who is suffered from positive symptoms then one which have negative symptom. This
is because who have latter type of symptom does not take interest in anything and they are
socially isolated. It is also concluded that people often does not make any difference between
individuals that have positive or negative symptom because both sort of people are mentally ill.
On the basis of results and discussion carried out on third hypothesis it is concluded that rate of
avoidance is high when one already know that other one is suffered from Schizophrenia.

REFERENCES
Books & journals
Frith, C.D., 2014. The cognitive neuropsychology of schizophrenia. Psychology Press.
Ripke, S. and et.al., 2013. Genome-wide association analysis identifies 13 new risk loci for
schizophrenia. Nature genetics. 45(10). Pp.1150-1159.
Online
Schizophrenia, 2016. [Online]. Available through :<
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/schizophrenia>. [Accessed on 24th
September 2016].