Welcome to the Psychological Side of Schizophrenia!
In our previous lessons, we looked at how the brain and chemicals (biology) might cause schizophrenia. But is that the whole story? Psychologists also look at how a person's life and their place in society can affect their mental health. Today, we are going to explore the Social Drift Theory. Don't worry if this seems a bit deep at first—we are going to break it down step-by-step!
What is the Social Drift Theory?
The Social Drift Theory is the main psychological explanation you need to know for your OCR GCSE exam. Instead of looking at neurons or genes, it looks at how having schizophrenia changes a person's social status (their position in society).
The Core Idea: Psychologists noticed that many people with schizophrenia live in poorer areas or have lower-paying jobs. This theory suggests that people "drift" down the social ladder because of the problems caused by their illness.
Analogy: Imagine society is a crowded escalator moving up. Most people are standing still or walking up. However, someone with schizophrenia might find it hard to keep their balance. Eventually, they might stop moving forward and slowly "drift" back down to the bottom of the escalator.
Key Takeaway: Schizophrenia causes people to lose their place in society, leading them to move from higher social classes to lower ones.
How Does the "Drift" Happen?
The theory explains that this downward slide happens because of two main things: rejection and disengagement. Let's look at each one.
1. Rejection by Society
When someone starts showing symptoms of schizophrenia—like hearing voices (hallucinations) or having unusual beliefs (delusions)—people around them may not understand. This often leads to stigma and discrimination.
Rejection by society can look like:
• Losing a job because the employer doesn't understand the illness.
• Friends or family members stopping visits because they feel uncomfortable.
• Landlords being unwilling to rent houses to them.
2. Disengagement of Individuals
Because the person feels rejected or finds it hard to follow "normal" social rules, they might start disengaging. Disengagement means pulling away from society and groups.
A person might:
• Stop trying to find work to avoid the stress of being rejected again.
• Move into a cheaper, more isolated area where they feel "invisible."
• Withdraw from hobbies or social clubs.
Quick Review:
Symptoms → Rejection (Society pushes them away) → Disengagement (They pull themselves away) → Social Drift (They end up in a lower social class).
Key Takeaway: It is a cycle. Society’s reaction makes the person withdraw, which makes it even harder for them to stay in a "high-status" part of society.
Did You Know?
The Social Drift Theory is sometimes called the "Social Selection" theory. This is because it suggests that society "selects" who stays at the top and who "drifts" to the bottom based on how well they can function in everyday life.
The Problem: Cause and Effect
In Psychology, we always have to look at the "other side." The biggest criticism of this theory involves establishing cause and effect. This is the classic "Chicken and the Egg" problem.
The Problem:
• Does Schizophrenia cause someone to drift into poverty? (This is what Social Drift Theory says).
• OR does living in poverty and stress actually cause the Schizophrenia? (This is called the "Social Causation" hypothesis).
It is very hard for researchers to prove which one comes first. If we see a person with schizophrenia living in a poor area, we don't always know if they were born there or if they "drifted" there after becoming ill.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't assume the theory says being poor causes schizophrenia. The Social Drift Theory specifically argues that the illness comes first, and the "drift" to a lower class happens afterwards.
Key Takeaway: A major weakness of this theory is that it’s hard to tell if social class is a result of the illness or a cause of it.
Memory Aid: The 3 'D's of Social Drift
If you are struggling to remember the steps, try this mnemonic:
1. Diagnosis: The person shows symptoms of schizophrenia.
2. Discarded: They are rejected by society (lost jobs/friends).
3. Drift: They disengage and move down the social ladder.
Summary Checklist
• What is the theory? The Social Drift Theory.
• What does it say? People with schizophrenia move down the social scale.
• Why? Because of rejection by society and the disengagement of individuals.
• What is the main criticism? It is hard to establish cause and effect.
Great job! You've just covered the psychological explanation for schizophrenia. When you're ready, try to compare this to the Biological Explanation (Dopamine and Brain Structure) to see how different they are!