Evaluation

• Strength 1: Large Amounts of Supporting Research

  • Gottesman, 48% for MZ twins, 17% for DZ twins suggesting that it is genetic
  • C.A - 9% for siblings, shows environment does play a part
• Strength 2: Scientific

  • brain scans - neural correlates
  • objective
  • empirical
  • twin studies
• Strength 3: Practical Applications

  • treatments
  • dopamine hypothesis - antipsychotics (typical/atypical)
• Limitation 1: Consequence Argument

  • dopamine hypothesis
• Limitation 2: Overemphasis on Nature Rather Than Nurture

  • siblings - 9%
  • DZ twins - 17%
  • brain areas - plasticity, ventral striatum
• Limitation 3: Concordance Rates

  • MZ twins - 48%, share 100% DNA
  • DZ - 17%, siblings 9%
  • shows that it is not just genetics
• Limitation 4: Not Everyone Who Develops Schizophrenia has Parent/Family with Schizophrenia

  • traumatic event
  • 'trigger'
• Limitation 5: Reductionist

  • doesn't consider role of environment
• Limitation 6: Determinist

  • COMT, NRGI
  • already predisposed
  • lack motivation
  • may not engage as its down to biology, feel that the can't do anything about it