Non-biological explanations of Sz Flashcards
What are the 3 non-biological explanations for schizophrenia?
Attention Deficit Theory
Schema Theory
Theory of Mind
What is Attention Deficit Theory and how does it explain Sz? (4 points)
Frith (1979)argues Sz is due to a faulty attention system
Preconscious thoughts contain information from our senses that would normally be filtered out
Sz patients are cognitively overloaded - they can’t filter irrelevant information from their senses, causing positive symptoms like hallucinations
Auditory hallucinations could also be caused by thinking our inner voice is an external voice telling us what to do
How does Schema Theory cause Sz (3 points)?
Hemsley (1993, 2005) suggests there is a breakdown in Sz patients’ ability to integrate memory and perception
They have a disconnect with their schemas (expectations) and external experiences (what they actually see and hear)
Explains disorganised thoughts and poor concentration/memory
What is Theory of Mind? (2 points)
The cognitive ability to represent people’s mental states including your own
E.g.
+ Knowing how to empathise with others’ emotions and experiences
+ Being able to tell when someone is lying or not
How does Theory of Mind explain Sz? (4 points)
Frith (1992)suggested that ToM in Sz patients is compromised as they can’t monitor their own and others’ mental states and behaviour
May account for many positive and negative symptoms:
Disorganised thinking:
+ May be due to a poor link between memory and perception
+ The patient doesn’t know what to expect from a situation or how to make sense of delusions
Delusions:
May be caused by an inability to process social situations appropriately, leading to feelings of persecution
Paranoia:
May be felt by a patient if other people can’t confirm a hallucination they’re having
What are the 4 supporting and 4 refuting arguments for the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia?
Supported by:
McGuire et al (1996) - ADT
Kronbichler (2017) - ToM
Dickson et al
Morrison et al
Refuting:
Butler et al (2012) - ADT
Schmolck et al (2002)
Frith (1992)
Cause or effect
How does McGuire et al (1996) support the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia? (3 points)
They found that the temporal lobe is less active during hallucinations - people with Sz are less able to monitor their inner voice
Studies have also shown that Sz patients’ vocal cords are tense when they experience auditory hallucinations
Suggests that they were mistaking their own inner speech for someone else’s voice
How does Kronbichler (2017) support the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia? (3 points)
PET and fMRI scans of Sz patients showed less specialized brain activation in regions linked to ToM like the medial prefrontal cortex
The scans also showed increased activation in attention-related networks
Suggests the effects are compensatory as their ToM areas are dysfunctional
How does Dickson et al. (2018) support the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia? (2 points)
Found that adolescents at risk of developing Sz had deficits in a variety of cognitive functions
This suggests cognitive deficits may be a cause of Sz
How does Morrison et al. (2014) support the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia? (2 points)
Cognitive therapy was just as effective at reducing the symptoms of psychosis as drug therapy and had lower dropout rates
The cognitive explanation has led to CBT development for Sz patients, which has some effectiveness - suggests the cause of Sz is cognitive
How does Butler et al (2012) challenge the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia? (2 points)
Found using PET scans that Sz patients have less activity in their frontal lobes
They are less likely to monitor information from the senses - disagrees with the cognitive explanation
How do Schmolck et al (2002) challenge the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia? (3 points)
Many brain-damaged patients have problems with attention or with the relationship between memory and perception
E.g. Patient HM had damage to the hippocampus located in the medial temporal lobe, causing loss of episodic memory
However, these brain damage case study patients show cognitive deficits but not signs of Sz, challenging the cognitive explanation
How does Frith (1992) challenge the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia? (4 points)
Found that cognitive deficits are linked to abnormalities in areas of the brain that use dopamine, especially the prefrontal cortex
Showed that Sz patients have reduced blood flow to those areas (indicating reduced brain activity) during certain cognitive tasks
Pre-frontal cortex handles attention and self-monitoring - this evidence supports both biological AND cognitive explanations
This reduces the credibility of the cognitive explanation alone
How does cognitive dysfunction’s ambiguous relation to Sz challenge the cognitive explanations for schizophrenia? (3 points)
Not clear whether cognitive dysfunction is acause or effectof the Sz disorder
Perhaps the cognitive deficits like sensory overload are a symptom of Sz rather than an underlying reason or cause for it happening
Correlation does not prove causation, reducing the credibility of the explanation
