!*!Schizophrenia: Psychological Explanations of Schizophrenia!*!

Question 1

Explain the Cognitive explanation of Schizophrenia

Answer 1

This claims that further features beyond biological factors of the disorder appear as individuals attempt to understand those experiences. When Schizophrenics first experience voices and other worrying sensory experiences, they turn to others to confirm the validity of what they are experiencing. Other people fail to confirm the reality of these experiences, so the schizophrenic comes to believe that others must be hiding the truth. They begin to reject feedback from those around them and develop delusional beliefs that they are being manipulates and persecuted.

Question 2

Name two studies which demonstrate evidence for the cognitive explanation

Answer 2

> Meyer-Lindenberg et al.

> Yellowlees et al.

Question 3

What did Meyer-Lindenberg et al. find?

Answer 3

They found a link between excess dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and working memory. The suggestion that ‘madness’ is a consequence of disbelieving others recieves curious support from a recent suggestion for treatment.

Question 4

What did Yellowlees et al. find?

Answer 4

Have developed a machine that produces virtual hallucinations, such as hearing the TV telling you to kill yourself, or one person’s face morphing into another. The intention is to show schizophrenics that their hallucinations are not real. As yet there is no evidence that this will provide a successful treatment.