What is the psychological explanation of depression?

The psychological explanation says depression is caused by negative ways of thinking. People with depression have negative schemas and attributions.

What is a negative schema?

A negative schema is a set of negative beliefs a person holds about themselves, the world and the future. The negative beliefs lead the person to interpret events in a gloomy way.

How can negative attributions contribute to depression?

A depressed person tends to blame themselves for failures and see them as permanent. Good events are put down to luck, so they bring no comfort.

Why is the psychological explanation described as the influence of nurture?

Negative thinking is thought to be learned through experiences such as criticism or loss. Depression is seen as arising from the environment rather than biology.

AQA GCSE Psychology 8182

Memory

Topic overview Processes and types of memory The multi-store model of memory Primacy, recency and Murdock's serial position curve Reconstructive memory, Bartlett and factors affecting accuracy

Perception

Topic overview Sensation, perception and depth cues Gibson's direct theory of perception Visual illusions Gregory's constructivist theory of perception Perceptual set and factors affecting perception

Development

Topic overview Early brain development, nature and nurture Piaget's stage theory of cognitive development Piaget in education, naughty teddy and policeman doll studies Dweck's mindset theory, learning styles and Willingham

Research Methods

Topic overview Hypotheses and variables Sampling methods Experimental designs and types of experiment Interviews, questionnaires, case studies and observations Research procedures, reliability and validity Ethical issues in psychological research Types of data, calculations and averages Correlation, graphs and the normal distribution

Social Influence

Topic overview Conformity and Asch's study Obedience, agency theory and the authoritarian personality Bystander intervention and Piliavin's subway study Crowd and collective behaviour

Language, Thought and Communication

Topic overview Language, thought and the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis Animal communication and von Frisch's bee study Non-verbal communication Explaining non-verbal behaviour: Darwin and Yuki

Brain and Neuropsychology

Topic overview The nervous system, fight or flight and the James-Lange theory Neurons, synaptic transmission and Hebb's theory Brain structure, localisation and Penfield's study Brain scanning, Tulving's gold memory study and brain damage

Psychological Problems

Topic overview An introduction to mental health Effects of mental health problems Clinical depression Explaining and treating depression Addiction Treating addiction

Psychological Problems

Explaining and treating depression

3 things to know
Paper 2

Overview

The biological explanation and neurotransmitters, negative schemas and attributions, antidepressants and cognitive behaviour therapy, and Wiles' study of CBT.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How does the psychological explanation account for depression?

Key term

What is the biological explanation of depression?

Key term

Why is the biological explanation described as the influence of nature?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is the biological explanation of depression?
Model answer
The biological explanation says depression is caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Low levels of serotonin are especially linked to low mood.
2
Why is the biological explanation described as the influence of nature?
Model answer
The explanation focuses on brain chemistry, which may be partly inherited. Depression is seen as arising from within the body rather than from experience.
3
What is the psychological explanation of depression?
Model answer
The psychological explanation says depression is caused by negative ways of thinking. People with depression have negative schemas and attributions.
4
What is a negative schema?
Model answer
A negative schema is a set of negative beliefs a person holds about themselves, the world and the future. The negative beliefs lead the person to interpret events in a gloomy way.
5
How can negative attributions contribute to depression?
Model answer
A depressed person tends to blame themselves for failures and see them as permanent. Good events are put down to luck, so they bring no comfort.
6
Why is the psychological explanation described as the influence of nurture?
Model answer
Negative thinking is thought to be learned through experiences such as criticism or loss. Depression is seen as arising from the environment rather than biology.

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