Evaluation

• Highly scientific approach- strengths

  • objective- Juckel et al (2006) brain scans
  • Falsifiable
  • Reliable
• Correlation- strength

  • Establishes a relationship between a function or symptom and schizophrenia
  • Allows for further research and the development of treatment
• Reductionist- weakness

  • Does not account for stressful life events or the environment a person is in
  • No genetic factors are accounted for
• Alternative explanations- weakness

  • Genetic explanations- Gottesman (1991)- 48% concordance rate in monozygotic twins
  • 128 independent genetic variations of schizophrenia
• Correlation- weakness

  • Does not imply causation
  • Impossible to tell whether lower brain activity in the ventral striatum causes avolition or is because of avolition