Conformity behavior of schizophrenic subjects to maternal figures

Abstract

Recent clinical studies of schizophrenia have been aimed at clarifying the nature of the relationship that has existed between the schizophrenic patient and other members of his family. The majority of these investigations have focused upon the mother-son relationship, and the experiment to be described represents an extension of this area of study. Specifically, the present investigation was an attempt to observe the extent to which schizophrenic patients would conform to the preferences expressed by mothers who possess some of the attributes reported to characterize mothers of Poor pre-morbid (Phillips, 1953) schizophrenic patients. These attributes, it was hoped, would serve as relevant cues foreliciting conformity responses in such patients.