Cognitive explanation

Question 1

What does the cognitive approach suggest that Sz is caused by?

Answer 1

Dysregulation in thought processing

Question 2

What brain component is associated with negative symptoms?

Answer 2

Reduced thought processing in the ventrum striatum

Question 3

What brain component in associated with positive symptoms?

Answer 3

Reduced thought processing in the temporal and cingulate gyri

Question 4

What does low though processing suggest?

Answer 4

cognition is impaired

Question 5

What’s wrong with Sz patients central control?

Answer 5

• faults in central control
• cannot supress their automatic thought
• this can explain disorganised speech / behaviour because they cannot control their automatic thoughts

Question 6

What is wrong with Sz patients meta representation?

Answer 6

• In normal people: can differentiate between thoughts/behaviours that are our own and that of other people
• In Sz: cannot differentiate between this, it would explain delusions/auditory hallucinations

Question 7

A03 - Strength - Evidence for dysfunctional thought processing

Answer 7

• Stirling et al compared performance on a range of cognitive tasks of 30 people with Sz and a control group of 30 people w/o it
• Tasks included the stroop task, in which ppts have to name the font-colours of colour-words, so have to supress the tendency to read the words outloud
• As predicted by Frith’s et al central control theory people with Sz took longer over twice as long on average to name the font-colours
• This means that cognitive processes of people with Sz are imparied

Question 8

A03 - Strength - Further support comes from success of cognitive therapies

Answer 8

• The claim that symptoms of Sz result from cognitive dysfunction is reinforced by the success of cognitive therapies.
• The effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp) was demonstrated in the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) review of treatments for Sz
• Review found consistent evidence that, when compared to treatment by antipsychotic medication, cognitive behavioural therapy was more effective in reducing symptom severity and improving levels of social functioning
• This supports the view that faulty cognition have important causal influence in the development of Sz

Question 9

A03 - Limitation - only explains proximal origins of symptoms

Answer 9

• Cognitive explanations only explain what is happening now to produce symptoms
• as distinct from distal explanations which focuses on what initially caused the condition
• As a result, it does not give us much insight into what causes the dysfunctional thinking
• This means that, alone cognitive explanations unlikely provide a complete account for why Sz develops and therefore, other explanations, such as biological explanations may play a crucial role