Construct validity of behavioral models of anxiety: where experimental psychopathology meets ecology and evolution
Psychol. neurosci. (Impr.)
; 3(1): 117-123, Jan.-June 2010.
Article
in En
| LILACS
| ID: lil-604510
Responsible library:
BR85.1
ABSTRACT
In experimental psychopathology, construct validity is usually enhanced by addressing theories from other fields in its nomological network. In the field of anxiety research, this construct is related to antipredator behavior, conserved across phylogeny in its functions and neural basis, but not necessarily on its topography. Even though the relations between behavioral models of anxiety and statements from behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology are commonly made in anxiety research, these are rarely tested, at least explicitly. However, in order to increase construct validity in experimental anxiety, testing predictions from those theories is highly desirable. This article discusses these questions, suggesting a few ways in which behavioral ecological and evolutionary hypotheses of anxiety-like behavior may be tested.
Key words
Full text:
1
Index:
LILACS
Main subject:
Behavior, Animal
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Language:
En
Journal:
Psychol. neurosci. (Impr.)
Journal subject:
NEUROLOGIA
/
PSICOLOGIA
Year:
2010
Type:
Article