OVERALL EVALUATION FOR INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES EXPLANATIONS - A03

Question 1

A CAUSE OR EFFECT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA:

Answer 1

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES EXPLANATIONS HAVE DIFFICULTY ESTABLISHING CAUSE AND EFFECT. IT CAN BE CONCLUDED CONCLUSIVELY THAT COGNITIVE MALFUNCTIONS OR CHILDHOOD TRAUMA IS CAUSING SCHIZOPHRENIA. THE MOST THAT CAN BE IMPLIED IS THAT THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THESE VARIABLES.

Question 2

REDUCTIONIST:

Answer 2

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES EXPLANATIONS ARE REDUCTIONIST AS THEY IGNORE THE ROLE OF SOCIAL FACTORS WHEN EXPLAINING SCHIZOPHRENIA. EPIDEMIOLOGISTS (PEOPLE WHO WORK IN A BRANCH OF SCIENCE THAT EXAMINES THE PREVALENCE OF DISEASES) CLAIM THAT A SERIES OF FACTORS INCREASE THE RISK OF DEVELOPING SCHIZOPHRENIA, INCLUDING BEING MIGRANT, BEING MALE, LIVING IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT, AND BEING BORN POOR.

Question 3

COMPARISON TO OTHER EXPLANATIONS:

Answer 3

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES EXPLANATIONS SUGGEST THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF EARLY EXPERIENCE, THEREFORE A PROBLEM OF NURTURE. HOWEVER, THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE OF BIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA, AS REPORTED PREVIOUSLY. EVIDENCE ALSO COMES FROM ADOPTION STUDIES. HESTON (1966) REPORTED ON THE DIAGNOSIS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA IN 47 ADOPTEES WHO HAD A BIOLOGICAL MOTHER WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA AND 50 ADOPTEES WHO DID NOT HAVE A BIOLOGICAL MOTHER WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA. HESTON FOUND THAT 10.6% OF THOSE WHO HAD A BIOLOGICAL MOTHER WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA WERE ALSO DIAGNOSED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, WHEREAS 0% OF THOSE WHO DID NOT HAVE A BIOLOGICAL MOTHER WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA HAD ALSO BEEN DIAGNOSED. THIS SUGGESTS THAT IT MIGHT BE THE CO-OCCURRENCE OF SHARED GENES BETWEEN MOTHER AND CHILD, RATHER THAN HOW THE MOTHER RAISES THE CHILD, THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA.

Question 4

DETERMINISTIC:

Answer 4

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES EXPLANATIONS ARE ALSO DETERMINISTIC, IT ASSUMES THAT PEOPLE CAN NOT MANGE OR ESCAPE TRAUMA OR ADJUST INEFFECTIVE COGNITIVE PROCESSES. NOT ALL INDIVIDUALS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA HAVE HAD TRAUMATIC CHILDHOODS OR COGNITIVE MALFUNCTIONS.

Question 5

OVERALL EXPLANATIONS:

Answer 5

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES EXPLANATIONS ARE USEFUL IN PROVIDING AN INSIGHT INTO WHY SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP SCHIZOPHRENIA THAN OTHERS. HOWEVER, IT IS MORE EFFECTIVE IF A HOLISTIC APPROACH IS USED TO DEVELOP A MORE COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF SCHIZOPHRENIA. THIS WOULD INCLUDE USING BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL EXPLANATIONS ALONGSIDE INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES EXPLANATION TO IDENTIFY A VARIETY OF RISK-FACTORS IMPORTANT WITH DEVELOPING SCHIZOPHRENIA. THIS WOULD PROVIDE GRATER OPPORTUNITIES OF SUPPORTING AND TREATMENTS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIC INDIVIDUALS.