Interactionist Models I

Abstract

The major tenet of all the interactionist models of emotion is that the mind and body are fundamentally inseparable. Given the clarity of this tenet, it might appear simple to classify theories as interactionist or noninteractionist. However, in practice, the distinction between interactionist models and as-if interactionist models is often unclear. For example, Whybrow, Akiskal, and McKinney’s biochemical model discussed in Chapter 12 incorporates the view that psychological stressors may cause biochemical imbalances that, in turn, lead to alterations in emotional states. Accordingly, even though they postulate that biochemical states are the immediate cause of emotional disorders, their model may legitimately be classified as an interactionist model.