Cognitive explanations for SZ Flashcards
What is the cognitive explanation
SZ is characterised by disturbance in language, attention, thought and perception
Dysfunctional thought processing
Lower then usual levels of processing (possibly caused by biological factors??) suggest that cognition is likely to be impaired
What is a dysfunction in meta-representation
Frith 1992
Frith suggested that ppl w SZ fail to monitor their own thoughts correctly, misattributing them to the outside world
When a person hears voices, it is acc their own inner speech being misinterpreted but they may believe that someone or smth in the external world is communicating w them
Such processing problems in ppl w SZ are sometimes referred to as alien control symptoms because they feel as if external forces are influencing their thoughts and actions and they have no personal control
What is dysfunction in central control
The cognitive ability to suppress automatic responses while we perform deliberate actions
Disorganised speech and thought disorder could result from the inability to suppress automatic thoughts and speech triggered by other thoughts
Derailment of thoughts and spoken sentences because each word triggers associations and the patient cannot suppress automatic responses to these
What is auditory selective attention impairment
ASAI
-ve symptoms of SZ may be result of cognitive strategies used by the individual to keep mental stimulation to a manageable level
This happens when ppl experience potentially over-whelming levels of info from the external world and their inner world
This may be due to auditory selective attention impairment
What affect does the social-cultural theory have
Harrison et al 2001
People born in deprived areas were more likely to develop SZ
Poverty, unemployment and crowding
Correlational results that doesn’t show cause and effect
Social drift hypothesis: more likely to b in deprived area, because having SZ gives them a lower social status
