Psychological Theories

Freuds Psychodynamic Theory –                                                 According to Freud, if the I.D or superego become dominant and cannot be balanced by the ego, this can result in Schizophrenia. In particular, during the psychosexual stages, the I.D is not gratified due to fixation on phallic, anal & oral stages. During the teenage years (sexual development), people may get Schizophrenia as the fixation comes back.   

Behavioural Theory –  Operant Conditioning – when people are rewarded for SZ behaviour, this behaviour is positively reinforced & so repeated (e.g. A parent giving their child encouragement over ‘hallucinations & delusions’ – an imaginary friend) Classical Conditioning – When people associate a certain place or group of people with SZ behaviour. (e.g. If someone is being bullied, they may begin to associate hallucinations with being safe or having friends) Social Learning Theory – When people imitate and copy role models who have SZ (e.g. A child’s parent may have SZ and they may begin to imitate the behaviours and continue to grow up with them/reproduce them)

Family Models –  Double Bind Theory – when a child is bombarded with contradictory & confusing messages. (e.g. ‘Thanks so much for the chocolate, now I’m going to get fat’ or ‘I think you should travel the world but I’ll be really lonely if you go’) Expressed Emotion – When a child is surrounded by a family who is over critical, over protective, over involved & over emotional. (e.g. Parents telling the child not to go outside as there are scary people there or parents wanting to know what their child thinks about everything/all the time. 

Cognitive Models –  Frith’s Filter Model – When the filter dividing someones pre conscious & conscious is broken and lets too many unnecessary things in (e.g. automatic actions such as blinking & breathing enter your conscious mind & you think about them all the time) – They also cannot distinguish between internal & external events (e.g. misinterpret the sound of blood pumping through your head with soldiers marching) Helmsley’s Schema Model – SZ people are not able to utilise their schemas so they constantly have to relearn every situation & action which can be overwhelming, exhausting and confusing. 

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