[S] Psychological explanations

Question 1

What does the behavioural explanation suggest about an individual behaving oddly or bizarrely?

Answer 1

If an individual behaved in this way when young, and found that it received attention, which would reinforce the behaviour and promote schizophrenic behaviour.

Question 2

What is schizophrenia suggested as a result of?

Answer 2

Poor social skills and a lack of reinforcement or reward of these.

Question 3

Where can lack of social skills originate from?

Answer 3

Institutionalisation, excess anxiety or cognitive defects.

Question 4

What do lack of social skills lead to?

Answer 4

Inappropriate assessment of others which leads to inappropriate social behaviours.

Question 5

How does the cognitive explanation explain schizophrenia?

Answer 5

As a result of faulty thinking.

Question 6

How does faulty thinking affect an individual’s behaviour?

Answer 6

The individual may process stimuli differently to others, and this misinterpretation may result in delusions or other schizophrenic symptoms.

Question 7

If an individual has logical thought processes, what could they still have issues with?

Answer 7

Perception and sensory overload.

Question 8

What else might people with schizophrenia be unable to do?

Answer 8

Self-monitor and put phenomena into the context of reality.

Question 9

What does Bateson et al’s (1956) double-bind theory suggest?

Answer 9

Children who frequently receive contradictory messages from their parents are more likely to become schizophrenic.

Question 10

What do contradictory parental interactions prevent the child from developing?

Answer 10

A coherent construction of reality.

Question 11

What are some characteristics of a schizophrenogenic mother?

Answer 11

Cold, domineering and conflict inducing.

Question 12

What did Fromm-Reichmann suggest?

Answer 12

A schizophrenogenic mother coupled with a weak and ineffectual father could drive a child to schizophrenia.

Question 13

What is expressed emotion?

Answer 13

A family communication style which involves criticism, hostility and emotional over involvement.

Question 14

Are schizophrenics more likely to relapse if they return to a family with expressed emotion?

Answer 14

Yes.

Question 15

What does labelling theory suggest?

Answer 15

Schizophrenia is not a disease but is a learned social role.

Question 16

What happens when the diagnostic label of schizophrenia is applied?

Answer 16

The label becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Question 17

Evaluate the psychodynamic explanation of schizophrenia in two points.

Answer 17

1. No research evidence to support the theory.

2. Lacks scientific credibility.

Question 18

Evaluate the behavioural explanation of schizophrenia in three points.

Answer 18

1. Oversimplifies a complex disorder.
2. Ignores individual differences in thoughts and different cognitive abilities.
3. The use of reinforcement in therapy does alleviate symptoms.

Question 19

Evaluate cognitive explanations of schizophrenia in three points.

Answer 19

1. Lacks mundane realism.
2. Can explain positive symptoms, but not negative ones.
3. Has scientific validity because it adopts scientific methods.

Question 20

Evaluate the family relationships explanation of schizophrenia in four points.

Answer 20

1. Berger (1965) found schizophrenics reported a higher number of double-bind statements from their mothers.
2. Retrospective studies are unreliable.
3. There is little research to support the idea of a schizophrenogenic mother.
4. When schizophrenics do not have contact with their expressed emotion family after release, the relapse rate is not any less.

Question 21

Evaluate labelling theory in two points.

Answer 21

1. Too simplistic.

2. Supported by Rosenhan’s volunteer mental hospital study.