Liberating People From Psychiatric Diagnoses 3: Experimental Psychopathology and Environmental Causes of Mental Disorders.
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| Title: | Liberating People From Psychiatric Diagnoses 3: Experimental Psychopathology and Environmental Causes of Mental Disorders. |
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| Authors: | Wong, Stephen E. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Ethical Human Psychology & Psychiatry. 2026, Vol. 28 Issue 1, p29-48. 20p. |
| Subjects: | Social isolation, Aggression (Psychology), Animal behavior, Causation (Philosophy), Behavior disorders in children, Pathological psychology, Early medical intervention, Mental illness |
| Abstract: | Building on biographic case studies presented earlier in this series, this article reviews laboratory and clinical research demonstrating that adverse environmental conditions produce behavioral, emotional, and social disturbances in animals and humans. Social isolation, confinement with reduced sensory stimulation, and limited behavioral options induce distress, fear, and stereotypic behavior while simultaneously eliminating exploratory behavior and the development of social competence. Painful stimulation disrupts ongoing productive behavior, as will neutral stimuli that signal the approach of these aversive stimuli. Under certain circumstances, pain and frustration will elicit aggressive behavior toward cage mates and inanimate objects. These aggressive responses can be replaced by another response that allows the subject to avoid or escape the aversive stimuli, can be suppressed by aversive consequences, or can be increased by positive consequences, showing how aggression is controlled by environmental contingencies. Although much of this research is decades old, these demonstrations remain credible due to independent replications, our extensive knowledge of the species' normal behavior, and controlled experimental designs that repeatedly produced or reduced disturbances by manipulating environmental conditions. In addition to showing the importance of protecting animals and people from severe aversive stimulation and deprivation, these studies point toward preventive, supportive, and educative approaches for minimizing and ameliorating behavioral and mental disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Ethical Human Psychology & Psychiatry is the property of Springer Publishing Company, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Building on biographic case studies presented earlier in this series, this article reviews laboratory and clinical research demonstrating that adverse environmental conditions produce behavioral, emotional, and social disturbances in animals and humans. Social isolation, confinement with reduced sensory stimulation, and limited behavioral options induce distress, fear, and stereotypic behavior while simultaneously eliminating exploratory behavior and the development of social competence. Painful stimulation disrupts ongoing productive behavior, as will neutral stimuli that signal the approach of these aversive stimuli. Under certain circumstances, pain and frustration will elicit aggressive behavior toward cage mates and inanimate objects. These aggressive responses can be replaced by another response that allows the subject to avoid or escape the aversive stimuli, can be suppressed by aversive consequences, or can be increased by positive consequences, showing how aggression is controlled by environmental contingencies. Although much of this research is decades old, these demonstrations remain credible due to independent replications, our extensive knowledge of the species' normal behavior, and controlled experimental designs that repeatedly produced or reduced disturbances by manipulating environmental conditions. In addition to showing the importance of protecting animals and people from severe aversive stimulation and deprivation, these studies point toward preventive, supportive, and educative approaches for minimizing and ameliorating behavioral and mental disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 15594343 |
| DOI: | 10.1891/EHPP-2025-0023 |
