Cognitive explanations

Question 1

What is the key assumption of the cognitive explanations?

Answer 1

dysfunctional thought processes

Question 2

What is the cognitive explanation?

Answer 2

BECK AND RECTOR symptoms are a result of faulty information processes
what goes on inside the ‘black box’ explaining delusions
e.g., laughing and whispering a bus - black box - somethings wrong with me ( explains delusions)
e.g., voice in my head telling me i’m a bad person - black box - someone else is telling me i’m a bad person ( explains hallucinations)

BAKER AND MORRISON misattributing self talk as external voices

Question 3

What is a strength of the cognitive explanation?

Answer 3

• research support - D’CARROLL found 75% of schiz report cognitive impairments in memory attention and motor skills
TAKAHSHI compared electrical brain activity in 410 schiz to 247 non schiz
ability to detect change in tone is low in schiz

• RWA - led to therapies such as CBT which was found more affective than anti psychotics

Question 4

What is a weakness of the cognitive explanation?

Answer 4

• chick and egg scenario - what comes first? schizophrenia or dysfunctional thinking?