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Can’t find any advantages for genetic explanation for schizophrenia in psychology

Schizophrenia

Reply 1

Issues with twin studies as the evidence: One major flaw for twin studies is the assumption that the environment shared between identical and non-identical twins are the same. Joseph et al highlighted how identical twins are more inclined to be treated similarly and be seen as one person therefore sharing the exact same environment. This could also be used to explain the higher concordance rates as being due to environmental factors (nurture) rather than necessarily genes alone (nature). Also the fact that even though identical twins share 100% of the genes, concordance rates remain at 40% and not 100% which suggests the environment (and nurture) still plays a huge mitigating role in schizophrenias onset. Also non-identical twins are more likely to be treated as individuals and two separate people due to different appearances and therefore the lower concordance rates between them may be explained due to differences in the environmental influence (nurture) rather than necessarily genes and nature. This may also be used as an explanation for why non-identical twins who share 50% of their genes have much lower concordance rates highlighting a strong case for the environment.

It may be that the increased concordance rates in the Gottesman study were due to the increased chance of sharing the same environment as the person with schizophrenia. For example, identical twins share the same environment (and may be treated similarly), whereas first cousins would not. This means that it can’t be concluded that genetics has caused schizophrenia.

As identical twins share 100% of their genes, it would be expected that the concordance rate for schizophrenia would be 100% if it was purely genetic. As it is only around 50%, this suggests other influences are playing a part.

Reply 2

Original post
by saskiahdltea
Issues with twin studies as the evidence: One major flaw for twin studies is the assumption that the environment shared between identical and non-identical twins are the same. Joseph et al highlighted how identical twins are more inclined to be treated similarly and be seen as one person therefore sharing the exact same environment. This could also be used to explain the higher concordance rates as being due to environmental factors (nurture) rather than necessarily genes alone (nature). Also the fact that even though identical twins share 100% of the genes, concordance rates remain at 40% and not 100% which suggests the environment (and nurture) still plays a huge mitigating role in schizophrenias onset. Also non-identical twins are more likely to be treated as individuals and two separate people due to different appearances and therefore the lower concordance rates between them may be explained due to differences in the environmental influence (nurture) rather than necessarily genes and nature. This may also be used as an explanation for why non-identical twins who share 50% of their genes have much lower concordance rates highlighting a strong case for the environment.

It may be that the increased concordance rates in the Gottesman study were due to the increased chance of sharing the same environment as the person with schizophrenia. For example, identical twins share the same environment (and may be treated similarly), whereas first cousins would not. This means that it can’t be concluded that genetics has caused schizophrenia.

As identical twins share 100% of their genes, it would be expected that the concordance rate for schizophrenia would be 100% if it was purely genetic. As it is only around 50%, this suggests other influences are playing a part.


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