individual differences explanations

Question 1

outline thought disorder

explain

Answer 1

• an explanation developed from the cognitive approach
• it argues that schizophrenia is caused by disorganised thinking and that symptoms stem from people trying to make sense of the experiences that arise from biological abnormalities
• as it takes both cognitive and biological principles into account, thought disorder is a holistic explanation
• Frith’s Faulty Attention System (1979) outlines that symptoms are due to a lack of preconscious filters; preconscious thought contains huge quantities of information from our senses, and we would normally filter this out
• however, schizophrenics are unable to do this and this implies that schizophrenia is a result of a breakdown of the filtering process, thus leading to emotional overload
• irrelevant and unimportant thoughts are brought to the forefront of their minds and interpreted in conscious awareness.
• positive symptoms of schizophrenia such as hallucinations and delusions can be explained by Bentall (1994) who found that schizophrenics have attentional bias towards threatening stimuli associated with violence and pain
• in the earliest stages, their disorganised thinking can be new and confusing as their perception of reality becomes distorted and warped
• this theory believes that delusions provide “insight relief” and guide the individual’s schemas, leading them to find affirmation and confirmatory evidence from irrelevant sources e.g. the glances of strangers

Question 2

outline thought disorder

research

Answer 2

• Frith’s Faulty Attention System (1979)

- Bentall (1994)

Question 3

evaluate thought disorder

explain

Answer 3

strengths

• holistic (modern cognitive neuroscience provides a thorough holistic explanation e.g. studies of thought disorder and cognitive deficits focus on close family members, who often share the same traits even if they are not schizophrenic - genetic component?)
• independence (CBT empowers the patient, leading to positive social implications and better general well being, an opportunity to improve their life, if schizophrenia is due to thought disorder, there are therapies widely available for patients)

limitations
- research (Kapur (2003) assumes that brain level and mind level findings are related)
- effectiveness (good explanation for the positive symptoms but there is a limited ability for the negative symptoms, explains schizophrenia purely as a result of internal mental processes and genetics - what about society? CBT has limited effectiveness alone, NICE suggest antipsychotics too)
- methodological issues (research is based on lab experiments and tests taken on a computer, low ecological validity. most schizophrenic participants are prescribed antipsychotics, then generalised to the non medicated, CBT can be ineffective due to blame)
- ethics (The weight and consideration of research should be questioned, is it ethical to ask schizophrenics to participate? it is a significant mental disorder and they suffer psychosis-
how do you gain valid consent and do they understand the aims?)

Question 4

evaluate thought disorder

research

Answer 4

• Kapur (2003)

Question 5

outline the schizophrenogenic mother

explain

Answer 5

• the term is used by those who believe that the attitude of a mother towards her child is the basic determinant of schizophrenia
• Fromm-Reichmann (1984) describes them as rejecting, overprotective and dominant
• this instability established by the maternal figure leads to a relationship that lacks trust, therefore inducing schizophrenia.
• Bateson (1956) proposed double bind theory: the symptoms of schizophrenia are an expression of contradictory patterns of family interactions e.g. a mother tells her child that she loved them (verbal) whilst displaying angry facial expressions (non-verbal)
• these conflicting communications can confuse a child as they are unable to adequately respond or ignore them.
• the central characteristics of maternal rejection and overprotection were developed by Lidz (1957) who constructed the following terms:
  marital schism - the parents are unable to adopt role reciprocity (understand each other’s goals, roles and motivations) leading to hostility and criticism.
  marital skew - one parent’s tendency to dominate family interactions e.g. an intrusive mother and passive father - the family accept this destructive behaviour

Question 6

outline the schizophrenogenic mother

research

Answer 6

• Fromm-Reichmann (1984)
• Bateson (1956)
• Lidz (1957)

Question 7

evaluate the schizophrenogenic mother

explain

Answer 7

strengths
- application (the deterministic attitude of the theory, assuming that the mother is the sole reason for schizophrenia, means that application can be developed and certain therapies can be focused on e.g. family therapy)

limitations
- methodological issues (as methodology becomes more refined, studies have become more accurate and results inconsistent)
- relevance (is it doing society more harm than good?)
- ethics ( sexist and damaging to all women in society because it blames the mother for her child’s mental disorder, Chess (1964), it isn’t based on any numerical or scientific evidence
and is a sensitive subject)

Question 8

evaluate the schizophrenogenic mother

research

Answer 8

• Chess (1964)