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On The Possibility of Ethological Explanations of Psychiatric Disorders
Author(s) -
McGuire Michael T.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1988.tb08552.x
Subject(s) - ethology , psychiatry , psychology , behavioral syndrome , intervention (counseling) , behavioural disorders , clinical psychology , personality , biology , ecology , social psychology
This paper discusses: previous ethological and evolutionary explanations of psychiatric disorders; a behavior‐physiology interation framework for explaining the frequency and course of selected psychiatric illnesses; atypical behavioral capacities among persons with psychiatric disorders; behavioral mechanisms; and ethological explanations of the behavior of patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses. The importance of behavior‐physiology interactions is emphasized. Possible consequences of current taxonomic systems (DSM‐III) are considered. It is concluded that ethology has a vital role in increasing our understanding of psychiatric disorders through identifying: characteristics of disorders; selected causes; degree and type of compromised mechanisms; and, intervention effectiveness.