Volume 19, Issue 2
Comparison Between th e Positive and Deluded Schizotypy with Spirituality and Paranormal Experiences In a Non-Clinical Population
Abstract
There seems to be a link between schizotypal symptoms and spiritual experience whereby, in the normal population, individuals with spiritual experiences also indicate relatively high levels of experiences and schizotypal thinking. However, positive features of schizotypy are dominant, for example, magical ideation and unusual perceptual experiences, which are substantially opposite of negative symptoms such as anhedonia, emotional difficulties and interpersonal deficits. For this study, compared to a sample of psychology students ""not spiritual"" (N = 71) and ""spiritual"" (N = 131) of both sexes, 24% males and 76% women, age range 17-57 years (average = 24.31, SD = 6.78). Spirituality here is defined as the set of thoughts, ideas, and attitudes unstructured associated with the mystical feeling of unity, not linked to any religious doctrine. There are three hypotheses: (1) you will find a significant difference in positive symptoms of schizotypy between the two groups of students, but (2) will be no significant difference in the negative, and (3) that usually associated with paranormal experiences schizotypy (such as telepathy, see auras, out of body experiences, sense of presence and see apparitions) correlate positively and significantly with positive symptoms of schizotypy rather than the negatives. We found a significant difference in positive symptoms of schizotypy among the group of students 'spiritual' (Mean = 14.32) and ""spiritual"" (Mean = 12.63) (p = .02) but not significant for negative symptoms, was found further that all paranormal experiences correlated significantly with positive symptoms of schizotypy (telepathy r = .25, see the aura r = 15, out of body experiences r = 25, r = sense of presence 33, and see apparitions r = 28, all p <.001, two tailed). Although paranormal phenomena such as telepathy and see the aura is not correlated with negative symptoms of schizotypy, however, found a significant correlation between out of body experience (r = .07, p = .03), sense of presence (r = 11, p = .002) and see apparitions (r = .12, p <.001, two tailed) with negative symptoms, although substantially lower than in the positive symptoms. Possibly mild schizotypal beliefs and experiences may not only be pathological, but positive and beneficial to the individual.
Keywords
positive schizotypy, spirituality, paranormal experiences