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Exploring Personality and Conditioned Auditory Hallucinations: Network Dynamics in a Non-Clinical Sample

Huertas Padilla, Nelson Gabriel LU (2025) PSYP01 20241
Department of Psychology
Abstract
Previous research has linked hallucination-proneness and psychosis-like experiences to the personality traits of Neuroticism and Openness in non-clinical samples. However, specific assessment of auditory hallucinatory experiences remains underexplored. In response, the present study investigated the links between personality—at trait and facet levels—and the occurrence of conditioned auditory hallucinations (AHs) in a non-clinical sample. The sample included 38 individuals who: (a) participated in a modified signal detection task (SDT) with Pavlovian conditioning; and (b) completed the International Personality Item Pool–Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness–120 item version (IPIP-NEO-120). A series of Bayesian network analyses provided... (More)
Previous research has linked hallucination-proneness and psychosis-like experiences to the personality traits of Neuroticism and Openness in non-clinical samples. However, specific assessment of auditory hallucinatory experiences remains underexplored. In response, the present study investigated the links between personality—at trait and facet levels—and the occurrence of conditioned auditory hallucinations (AHs) in a non-clinical sample. The sample included 38 individuals who: (a) participated in a modified signal detection task (SDT) with Pavlovian conditioning; and (b) completed the International Personality Item Pool–Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness–120 item version (IPIP-NEO-120). A series of Bayesian network analyses provided moderate evidence for a direct association between high Openness and AHs, but no evidence for Neuroticism. Despite this, both traits emerged as the most central variables in a network model analysing all traits and AHs. A second network model analysing the facets of Neuroticism inferred an analogous pattern to that reported in the literature with sub-clinical and clinical accounts of AHs (i.e., high Vulnerability, Self-Consciousness, Anger, Depression, and Anxiety), albeit without linkage to the outcome variable. A third network model analysing the facets of Openness partly replicated prior findings, showing weak to moderate positive associations with Emotionality, Intellect, and Adventurousness, conversely, encircling AHs in the same cluster of these personality variables. These findings bolster the notion that Openness may serve as a protective factor, probably mitigating the impact of Neuroticism on AHs, via trait-by-trait interactions. Further considerations are discussed to test this postulate in future research. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Huertas Padilla, Nelson Gabriel LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYP01 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
personality, auditory hallucinations, Pavlovian conditioning, network analysis, Bayesian inference
language
English
id
9183493
date added to LUP
2025-01-30 14:33:45
date last changed
2025-01-30 14:33:45
@misc{9183493,
  abstract     = {{Previous research has linked hallucination-proneness and psychosis-like experiences to the personality traits of Neuroticism and Openness in non-clinical samples. However, specific assessment of auditory hallucinatory experiences remains underexplored. In response, the present study investigated the links between personality—at trait and facet levels—and the occurrence of conditioned auditory hallucinations (AHs) in a non-clinical sample. The sample included 38 individuals who: (a) participated in a modified signal detection task (SDT) with Pavlovian conditioning; and (b) completed the International Personality Item Pool–Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness–120 item version (IPIP-NEO-120). A series of Bayesian network analyses provided moderate evidence for a direct association between high Openness and AHs, but no evidence for Neuroticism. Despite this, both traits emerged as the most central variables in a network model analysing all traits and AHs. A second network model analysing the facets of Neuroticism inferred an analogous pattern to that reported in the literature with sub-clinical and clinical accounts of AHs (i.e., high Vulnerability, Self-Consciousness, Anger, Depression, and Anxiety), albeit without linkage to the outcome variable. A third network model analysing the facets of Openness partly replicated prior findings, showing weak to moderate positive associations with Emotionality, Intellect, and Adventurousness, conversely, encircling AHs in the same cluster of these personality variables. These findings bolster the notion that Openness may serve as a protective factor, probably mitigating the impact of Neuroticism on AHs, via trait-by-trait interactions. Further considerations are discussed to test this postulate in future research.}},
  author       = {{Huertas Padilla, Nelson Gabriel}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Exploring Personality and Conditioned Auditory Hallucinations: Network Dynamics in a Non-Clinical Sample}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}