Social Causation Hypothesis Flashcards
What does social causation hypothesis state
Many environmental risk factors contribute to your likelihood of gaining schizophrenia
Four types of social impacts that can increase your chances of getting schizophrenia
Social adversity
Urbanicity
Social isolation
Immigration and minority status
What does social adversity state
- Failure to meet needs can be stressful
- Unfavourable environment:
poverty -> exposure to stress
lower socioeconomic status -> cant access treatment
What does urbanicity state
Urban areas are more stressful than rural ones
Long exposure = vulnerable to schizophrenia
High population density = life is more competitive
What is the likelihood of gaining schizophrenia from Urbanicity
2.3x more likely when living in an urban area
What does social isolation state
People with schizophrenia withdraw from society
Self-imposed isolation makes them behave strangely as they do not socialise and are aware of social norms and communication
What does immigration and minority status state
Greater risk than general population for first and second generation immigrants
Dont know your identity
Why are second-generation immigrants at greater risk than first?
- don’t know their cultural identity
‘ learned to fit with norms of indigenous society - beliefs and expectations may be at odds with parents and family
Strength of social causation hypothesis study
Vassos et al (2012)
What did Vassos et al (2012) find
Urbanicity
Analysed data from 4 studies cordate location with schizophrenia
Found 2.37 x greater for people living in urban environment than rural
Weakness of Vassos’s urbanicity hyppothesis, study that goes against claims
Social drift hypothesis
Sugggests people with schizophrenia find it hard to hold down a job and urban areas have more job availability, so drift to lower social class than parents and siblings. Migrating into inner-city area
SCHIZOPHRENIA LEADS TO URBANICITY
Weakness of social causation hypothesis
Social causation is not a complete explanation
Genetic factors contribute and environmental factors trigger disorder
Strength of social causation hypothesis study
Veiling et al (2010)
What did Veiling et al (2010) find
People classed as integrated suggests strong ethnic identity may be a protective factors against schizophrenia
