EVALUATION OF THE EXPLANATIONS Flashcards
Genetic explanation (Family adoption twin studies)- strengths & weakness
- Strength= Supported by evidence: Hiker et al (2017)/ Gottesman (1991).
Weakness= Twin/adoption studies have low generalisability as they are not representative of the general population (Gottesman 1991) only recurited 61 twins). Also, concordance rates aren’t 100% suggesting enviromental explanations may also be valid.
Genetic (Family/adoption twin studies)- Nature/Nurture and determinism debate
- Nature vs nurture- Genetic epxlanations focus on nature explanations. However, the diathetsis-stress model suggests a genetic predisposition may interact with enviromental stressors to trigger schizophrenia.
- Determinist- Biologically determinsitic as it suggests that people that have a certain genetic makeup WILL develop schizophrenia, removing personality and free will.
Biochemical explanation- strengths and weaknesses
Srengths- empirically/ scientifically supported by a body of evidence (Lindstrom et al 1999, Nestler (1997), Wise et al (1974).
Weaknesses- Biologically reductionist ignoring psychological, cognitive explanations. Not everyone responds to antipsychotics (especially those with negative symptoms, suggesting dopamine isn’t the only factor involved and other factors should be considered.
Biochemical explanation- determinism
Implies that if someone has excess dopamine activity they WILL develop schizophrenia. This removes responsibility and free will, may lead to pessimism about recovery, non-drug therapies may be undervalued
Cognitive explanation- strengths & weakness
Strength- It has led to the development of (CBT), which helps patients challenge and manage faulty thinking — showing practical application.
Weakness- Reductionist as it mainly on internal mental processes and ignores social or emotional factors that could also play a role (trauma) of biological causes.
Strengths/ weaknesses of schizophregenic mother theory
strengths- theoretically holistic- part of a broader psychoanalyitic approach which consideres childhood, unconcious conflicts, emotional development.
weaknesses- highly reductionist- blames schizophrenia solely on parenting syles, blame based, stigmatising, ignores other explantions
Strengths/weaknesses double-blind theory
Strengths- offers a plausible explanation for the cognitive disorganisation seen in schizophrenic (delusions)
Weakness- unfalsfiable/lacks validity- as it is impossible to measure double bind situations objectively, not all individuals exposed to this dynamic develops schizophrenia.
expressed emotions- strengths/ weaknesses
Strengths- Practical applications: Has led to useful family-based therapy interventions that reduce EE and improve outcomes.
Weakness- Deterministic: Suggests people are shaped by their environments, with little room for personal agency or resilience.
Nomethic approach?
Tries to establish general laws that apply to everyone, often using quantitative data (e.g. experiments, brain scans, twin studies).
Ideographic approach?
Focuses on the individual, looking at unique personal experiences through qualitative data (e.g. case studies, interviews, psychodynamic analysis).
Can you apply the nomothetic/ ideographic approach to the cognitive, psychological, biochemical, heritary explanations of schizophrenia?
- Cognitive- largely nomethetic/ but can inform personal therapy (CBT)
- Psychological- largely ideographic- based on unique family dynamics/ case studies
- Biochemical- strongly nomothetic- focuses on general laws of neurotransmitter functionality
- Heriditary- nomothetic- assumes universal biological patterns.
