non-biological/psychological explanation of sz

Question 1

what does the psychological explanation of sz say causes sz

Answer 1

faulty information processing

Question 2

meta-representation ao1 (psychological explanation of sz)

Answer 2

believe inner voice is actually someone external (hallucination)

Question 3

memory ao1 (psychological explanation of sz)

Answer 3

unable to decipher what is new info and old memory leads to sensory overload –> negative symptoms are a way of coping with sensory overload (lack of speech)

Question 4

cognitive noise ao1 (psychological explanation of sz)

Answer 4

unable to filter out unnecessary cognitive noise -> misattribute the voice to external noise (hallucinations)

Question 5

central control a01 (psychological explanation of sz)

Answer 5

• inability to generate willed action -> can’t translate thoughts into actions (social withdraw)
• monitor willed action -> may start and stop tasks not remember what need to do (movement disorder)
• monitor beliefs and intentions of others -> cant understand why others are doing what they do (delusions)

Question 6

strengths and weaknesses of psychological explanation of sz (supporting)

Answer 6

:) mcguire found during hallucinations the part of the brain responsible for identifying and monitoring inner voice recorded reduced activity -> suggests lack of inner voice recognition
OTOH no cause and effect
:) dickson found that adolescents at risk of developing sz had deficits in cognitive functions -> suggests faulty info processing is related to sz
OTOH no cause and effect

Question 7

strengths and weaknesses of psychological explanation of sz (conflicting)

Answer 7

:( sitskoorn found relatives of szics had similar cognitive deficits but not sz -> must be another cause other than cognitive problems otherwise everyone with that would be sz

Question 8

strengths and weaknesses of psychological explanation of sz (other theories)

Answer 8

:( NT explanation may be better as it is higher in testability due to being able to test NT in urine

Question 9

strengths and weaknesses of psychological explanation of sz (usefulness)

Answer 9

:) holistic acknowledges dopamine hypothesis and adds to this -> explains both positive and negative symptoms
:) cbt aims to challenge faulty thinking and is an effective treatment
:( ignores the role of genetics in the development of sz

Question 10

strengths and weaknesses of psychological explanation of sz (testability)

Answer 10

:( cant empirically test if someone has faulty information processing so theory is less valid as don’t know if its happening in all cases of sz