Background: Semantic memory abnormalities are argued to be a cardinal feature of schizophrenia, with research suggesting that symptoms arise from a disturbance in the organisation of knowledge. One problem with this literature has been inconsistent finding using a semantic memory assessment technique called semantic priming (SP). These inconsistencies have been attributed to a number of confounding factors that limit research with symptomatic clinical patients, including illness duration and medication use. Recently analogue studies, using persons with high schizotypy, have aimed to overcome these confounding factors. This presentation presents data from three analogue studies investigating semantic memory in high schizotypy. Methods: Study 1 examined SP in 26 high and 32 low scorers on the OLIFE schizotypy scale. Study 2 correlated SP with OLIFE scores in 53 students. Study 3 compared 24 high and 30 low OLIFE scorers on a large battery of semantic memory measures. Results: Study 1 and 3 established that semantic memory abnormalities are present in high schizotypes in SP and one other implicit semantic memory measure (semantic categorisation). Study 2 showed that the correlational analyses associated priming deficits with cognitive disorganisation scores. This is the analogue scale for thought disorder. Discussion: Unlike patients with schizophrenia high schizotypes do not have globally impaired semantic memory. High schizotypes show subtle abnormalities on implicit semantic memory measures and not on explicit measures. Significantly these abnormalities were related to cognitive disorganisation and possible thought disorder. Semantic memory deficits in high schizotypes may be akin to those in the prodromal phase of schizophrenia.