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Families of network structures – we need both phenomenal and explanatory models

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

Tony Ward
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand. Tony.Ward@vuw.ac.nzRonald.Fischer@vuw.ac.nzhttps://mindcultureevolution.com/
Ronald Fischer
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand. Tony.Ward@vuw.ac.nzRonald.Fischer@vuw.ac.nzhttps://mindcultureevolution.com/

Abstract

Symptom network models (SNWMs) play an important role in identifying but not explaining patterns of symptoms. We discuss underlying assumptions of SNWMs and argue that they represent phenomenal models, best suited to detecting patterns among symptoms. SNWMs need to be supplemented with mechanistic models that provide constitutive and etiological explanations of each symptom (network nodes) once relevant patterns have been identified.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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