Relationships between positive schizotypy and facets of openness to experience.

Abstract

Positive schizotypy is thought to have important relationships with openness to experience (OE), but the nature of this relationship is still uncertain, as OE is a broad and multifaceted trait. There is also evidence that positive schizotypy forms a joint factor with some OE items, but the nature of this joint factor and its relationships with and distinctiveness from other OE facets such as absorption is unclear. This research (n = 1,016) assessed both positive schizotypy as well as a relatively broad range of OE facets. In item-level factor analyses, we again found a factor (labeled schizotypal thinking) that included items from both positive schizotypy and OE scales reflecting relatively common odd beliefs. The schizotypal thinking factor was distinct both from a factor that appeared closer to symptoms of psychosis as well as from absorption. The schizotypal thinking factor was also moderately to strongly associated with multiple OE factors (e.g., absorption, aesthetic appreciation, fantasy, and innovation); relative to other commonly identified OE facets such as intellect, schizotypal thinking also tended to be at least as strongly associated with the same number of other OE facets. Further, schizotypal thinking and its most related OE facets, but not intellect, tended to be associated with psychotic symptoms, dissociation, and both negative and positive urgency. Overall, our results further support and clarify differential associations between positive schizotypy and OE facets. Our results also suggest that the schizotypal thinking factor might be considered a distinct aspect of OE. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).