The SCRIBE (Social Cognition Research in Bonding and Emotions) study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The SCRIBE (Social Cognition Research in Bonding and Emotions) study
IRAS ID
139239
Contact name
Jasper Palmier-Claus
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Research summary
In our research we hope to study something called social cognition. Social cognition is a person’s ability to understand the intentions and behaviours of others. It also includes being able to see things from other people’s perspectives. It is important to study social cognition because it might affect how people cope in social situations. Problems with social cognition may also place a person at greater risk of experiencing psychosis (i.e. hearing voices, feeling suspicious). It may also make a person more likely to become angry or irritated as they misunderstand others peoples intentions.
In the past, researchers have suggested that problems with social cognition are caused by a person’s genes (i.e. that it is passed down from a person’s parents). However, we think that social cognition might also be the result of a person’s experiences in childhood. There is now a lot of research showing that abusive parenting can influence how children learn to act in relationships. Unhelpful parenting might make it harder for the person to form close relationships later in life. Without these close relationships it might be very difficult for a person to gain insights into how other people act and why.
In this study the authors explore whether childhood trauma makes it harder for people with psychosis to form relationships later in life, and whether this effects their social cognition. It also explores whether problems in social cognition lead to difficulties functioning in social situations and greater levels of anger later in life. It is hoped that this will aid the development of effective treatments for psychosis.
We will be asking people at different stages of experiencing psychosis and healthy ’non-clinical’ students to take part. People will be asked to complete questionnaires, interviews and experimental tasks.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/NW/0823
Date of REC Opinion
16 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion