Evaluation of cognitive explanations for schizophrenia
Myer-Lindenberg et al (2002): They found a link between poor working memory (associated with
schizophrenia) and reduced activity in prefrontal cortex
Schielke et al (2000): Studied a patient who developed continuous auditory hallucinations due to an
abscess in the dorsal pons.
Frith: Suggested schizophrenics fail to monitor thoughts correctly. Identified two types of dysfunctional
S thought processing (meta-representation and central control)
Pickering: Proposed that catatonic schizophrenia may be caused by impairment in auditory selective
attention.
Stirling et al (1998): Compared people with schizophrenia to controls on their performance on the
Stroop test. People with schizophrenia took more than twice as long to say the colour.
Evidence from neural correlates to suggest cognitive processes different in people with schizophrenia
Treatment: Yellowless et al (2002) developed a machine that produced virtual hallucinations, to show
schizophrenics their hallucinations aren’t real.
P Avatar therapy: Allows schizophrenics to interact with their hallucinations via a screen and practise
talking back to the hallucinations in a safe space.
Beta bias: Studies may have been conducted on more men than women
I Labelling: May lead society to view those with schizophrenia as different
Links to cognitive approach: Studies internal mental processes
A Links to biological approach: Shows that changes in brain structure can cause schizophrenia
- No scientific link between conditions like dyslexia and schizophrenia.
C
Frith et al:
✘Doesn’t provide clear explanation of cause – means that treatments cannot be developed from
explanation
✘Speculative – Pickering and Frith suggested theories, without any solid proof
Pickering:
✘ Speculative (see above)
E ✘Autism and ADHD have no correlation with schizophrenia, even though they can cause increased
sensory sensitivity.
Stirling et al:
✘Symptoms of schizophrenia can interfere with the performance on the stroop task
Interactionist: Suggests schizophrenia is the cause of environmental and cognitive factors.
Biological reductionism
Biological determinism
D Uses nomothetic and idiographic approach
Myer-Lindenberg et al (2002): They found a link between poor working memory (associated with
schizophrenia) and reduced activity in prefrontal cortex
Schielke et al (2000): Studied a patient who developed continuous auditory hallucinations due to an
abscess in the dorsal pons.
Frith: Suggested schizophrenics fail to monitor thoughts correctly. Identified two types of dysfunctional
S thought processing (meta-representation and central control)
Pickering: Proposed that catatonic schizophrenia may be caused by impairment in auditory selective
attention.
Stirling et al (1998): Compared people with schizophrenia to controls on their performance on the
Stroop test. People with schizophrenia took more than twice as long to say the colour.
Evidence from neural correlates to suggest cognitive processes different in people with schizophrenia
Treatment: Yellowless et al (2002) developed a machine that produced virtual hallucinations, to show
schizophrenics their hallucinations aren’t real.
P Avatar therapy: Allows schizophrenics to interact with their hallucinations via a screen and practise
talking back to the hallucinations in a safe space.
Beta bias: Studies may have been conducted on more men than women
I Labelling: May lead society to view those with schizophrenia as different
Links to cognitive approach: Studies internal mental processes
A Links to biological approach: Shows that changes in brain structure can cause schizophrenia
- No scientific link between conditions like dyslexia and schizophrenia.
C
Frith et al:
✘Doesn’t provide clear explanation of cause – means that treatments cannot be developed from
explanation
✘Speculative – Pickering and Frith suggested theories, without any solid proof
Pickering:
✘ Speculative (see above)
E ✘Autism and ADHD have no correlation with schizophrenia, even though they can cause increased
sensory sensitivity.
Stirling et al:
✘Symptoms of schizophrenia can interfere with the performance on the stroop task
Interactionist: Suggests schizophrenia is the cause of environmental and cognitive factors.
Biological reductionism
Biological determinism
D Uses nomothetic and idiographic approach
