The ability to respond quickly and accurately when performing relatively simple perceptual, motor or cognitive tasks.

Colby College

 - Impairments in these abilities of nonsocial cognition are proved to be core features of schizophrenia.
 - Nonsocial cognitive impairments are independent of positive psychotic symptoms, side effects of antipsychotic medications.
 - The impairments are also relatively stable during the time period of the illness and are detectable in different levels in unaffected biological relatives of the patient.

Nature of nonsocial cognitive impairment in schizophrenia

An increase in processing speed does not necessarily associate with levels of executive function improvement. 
- Processing speed
- Executive functioning

Difference Between Processing Speed and Executive Functioning 

Green, M. F., Horan, W. P., &amp; Lee, J. (2019). Nonsocial and social cognition in schizophrenia: Current evidence and Future Directions. World Psychiatry, 18(2), 146–161. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20624 

Nonsocial and social cognition in schizophrenia: current evidence and future directions

The ability to respond quickly and accurately when performing relatively simple perceptual, motor or cognitive tasks 

Speed of processing

The ability to acquire, store and retrieve verbal information for
more than a few minutes.

Verbal learning and memory

The ability to acquire, store and retrieve information about objects and spatial locations for more than a few minutes 

Visuospatial learning and memory

The ability to hold and manipulate information “online” in a
temporary store.

Working memory

The Ability to respond to targets, and not respond to non-
targets, over a period of  time.

Attention/Vigilance

The ability to apply and shift strategies effectively to find
optimal solutions to problems.


Reasoning and problem solving

The ability to acquire, store and retrieve verbal information for more than a few minutes.

The ability to acquire, store and retrieve information about objects and spatial locations for more than a few minutes.

The ability to hold and manipulate information “online” in a temporary store.

The Ability to respond to targets, and not respond to non- targets, over a period of time.

The ability to apply and shift strategies effectively to find optimal solutions to problems.

Executive functioning occurs as a cognitive process that creates and allows for a person to exhibit every behavior and develop a mental plan to tackle new situations or environments.

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