Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
Evolutionary explanations of psychological disorders (Schizophrenia…
Evolutionary explanations of psychological disorders
Possible explanations
dysregulation
psychological disorders involve dysregulation, over activation or inappropriate activation of a normal, adaptive mechanism
adaptation
psychological disorders are (or were) in themselves adaptive
e.g. feeling ill after dodgy food, may be reactive effects to evolutionary stressors
advantageous when averaged across individuals and environments, a mechanism that maximises survival and reproduction for the species
trade off
psychological disorders are/were side effects of other adaptations
Depression
Beneficial against loss or social risk
focus resources on solving complex social problems
shut down of unattainable goals
elicits help from conspecifics
Schizophrenia
Common from an evolutionary perspective as exceeds common mutation rates (1%)
genius and psychosis often in genetic proximity
side effect of cerebral asymmetry, language or intelligence
adaptation to facilitate group splitting
Anorexia
Control reproduction or puberty in poor environmental conditions
adaptation for coping with famine
elicits help from conspecifics
Anxiety
detection of threats, especially when vulnerable or believes threats are common
mismatch between environment we evolved to adapt to and modern environment may explain rising incidence of psychological disorders
Evaluation
Just so/ad hoc fallacy: narrative explanation for cultural practise, trait or behaviour
untestable predictions
reductionism/determinism
doesn't explain individual disorder (at a proximal level)
Stigma
Self
Kemp (2014)
Biological explanations lead to
Increased pessimism about prognosis
no effect on self blame/stigma
reduced perceived abilities to regulate emotional states
increased efficacy beliefs for pharmotherapy vs psychotherapy
Public
Kirdale (2013)
Biogenetic explanations lead to less stigma but higher perceptions of dangerousness, unpredictability, fear, desire for social distance, pessimism about recovery and harsh, punitive behaviour
Clnicians
Lebowitz & Ahn (2014)
Biological explanations significantly reduce clinician empathy and lower endorsement of patient involvement in mental health services