Psychological Explanations of Schizophrenia

While biological explanations focus on genes and neurochemistry, psychological explanations emphasise the role of cognitive processes, family dynamics, and the interaction between biological vulnerability and environmental stressors. These approaches do not necessarily deny the role of biology, but they argue that psychological and social factors are essential for understanding why some vulnerable individuals develop schizophrenia while others do not.

Key Definition: Psychological explanations of schizophrenia propose that cognitive processes (such as faulty thinking), family relationships, and environmental stressors contribute to the onset and maintenance of the disorder.

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Cognitive Explanations

Cognitive explanations suggest that schizophrenic symptoms arise from dysfunctional thought processing — errors in the way individuals perceive, interpret, and respond to information.

Frith's Model of Schizophrenia (1992)

Christopher Frith (1992) proposed one of the most influential cognitive models. He argued that schizophrenic symptoms can be explained by deficits in two key cognitive processes:

1. Metarepresentation

Metarepresentation is the cognitive ability to reflect on one's own thoughts and behaviours — essentially, "thinking about thinking." It also enables us to interpret the actions and intentions of others (related to Theory of Mind).

Frith proposed that deficits in metarepresentation explain several symptoms: