A paradigm for the study of paranoia in the general population: The Prisoner's Dilemma Game

TY - JOUR

T1 - A paradigm for the study of paranoia in the general population

T2 - The Prisoner's Dilemma Game

AU - Ellett, Lyn

AU - Allen-Crooks, Rhani

AU - Stevens, Adele

AU - Wildschut, Tim

AU - Chadwick, Paul

PY - 2013/3/1

Y1 - 2013/3/1

N2 - A growing body of research shows that paranoia is common in the general population. We report three studies that examined the Prisoner's Dilemma Game (PDG) as a paradigm for evaluation of non-clinical paranoia. The PDG captures three key qualities that are at the heart of paranoia-it is interpersonal, it concerns threat, and it concerns the perception of others' intentions towards the self. Study 1 (n=175) found that state paranoia was positively associated with selection of the competitive PDG choice. Study 2 (n=111) found that this association was significant only when participants believed they were playing the PDG against another person, and not when playing against a computer. This finding underscores the interpersonal nature of paranoia and the concomitant necessity of studying paranoia in interpersonal context. In Study 3 (n=152), we assessed both trait and state paranoia, and differentiated between distrust- and greed-based competition. Both trait and state paranoia were positively associated with distrust-based competition (but not with greed-based competition). Crucially, we found that the association between trait paranoia and distrust-based competition was fully mediated by state paranoia. The PDG is a promising paradigm for the study of non-clinical paranoia.

AB - A growing body of research shows that paranoia is common in the general population. We report three studies that examined the Prisoner's Dilemma Game (PDG) as a paradigm for evaluation of non-clinical paranoia. The PDG captures three key qualities that are at the heart of paranoia-it is interpersonal, it concerns threat, and it concerns the perception of others' intentions towards the self. Study 1 (n=175) found that state paranoia was positively associated with selection of the competitive PDG choice. Study 2 (n=111) found that this association was significant only when participants believed they were playing the PDG against another person, and not when playing against a computer. This finding underscores the interpersonal nature of paranoia and the concomitant necessity of studying paranoia in interpersonal context. In Study 3 (n=152), we assessed both trait and state paranoia, and differentiated between distrust- and greed-based competition. Both trait and state paranoia were positively associated with distrust-based competition (but not with greed-based competition). Crucially, we found that the association between trait paranoia and distrust-based competition was fully mediated by state paranoia. The PDG is a promising paradigm for the study of non-clinical paranoia.

KW - Experimental methodology

KW - Non-clinical paranoia

KW - Prisoner's Dilemma Game

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84873646969&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/02699931.2012.689757

DO - 10.1080/02699931.2012.689757

M3 - Article

C2 - 22731988

AN - SCOPUS:84873646969

SN - 0269-9931

VL - 27

SP - 53

EP - 62

JO - Cognition and Emotion

JF - Cognition and Emotion

IS - 1

ER -