Psychological Explanations: Cognitive Explanations

Question 1

Dysfunctional thought processing

Answer 1

Lower levels of info processing in some areas of the brain suggests cognition is impaired

For example, reduced processing is the Ventral striatum is associated with negative symptoms

Question 2

Metarepresentation leads to hallucinations

Answer 2

The cognitive ability to reflect on thoughts and behaviour (frith et al. 1992)

This dysfunction disrupts our ability to recognise our thoughts as our own - could lead to the sensation of hearing voices (hallucination) and experience of having thoughts placed in the mind by others (thought insertion, a delusion)

Question 3

Central control dysfunction leads to speech poverty

Answer 3

Frith et al. (1992) also identified dysfunction of central control as a way to explain speech poverty - central control being the cognitive ability to suppress automatic responses while performing deliberate actions

People with SZ experience derailment of thoughts because each word triggers automatic associations that they cannot suppress