Lawful disorganization: The process underlying a schizophrenic syndrome

Attempts to account for schizophrenic association and conceptualization disturbances, delusions, hallucinations, and regression in terms of a common process involving partial randomization of response hierarchies. Because of a common underlying process, these different areas of schizophrenic behavior are expected to have similarities in terms of how they differ from normal behavior, and conditions under which behavioral deficit will be observed. A formal account involving the facilitating effects of increased arousal on competing responses, when appropriate responses are at response-strength ceiling, is used to discuss similarities which are expected across content areas. The implications appear to integrate research findings and clinical observations concerning the different kinds of schizophrenic abnormalities discussed. (3 p. ref.)