We conclude this chapter by briefly examining how neurological, psychological, and social factors might have affected each other via feedback loops in the case of Big Edie and Little Edie. Both women were artistic, unconventional, and independent (psychological factor), but their social class and the time in which they lived made their behavior “inappropriate,” leading them to be discriminated against within their extended family and community (social factor). In turn, the social constraints of their day prevented them from having jobs or careers, and so they were unable to support themselves; they were financially dependent on others (social), which created its own stress (neurological and psychological). These external realities, in turn, may have heightened their feeling that people were out to get them (psychological factor). Moreover, it is possible that they had neurological characteristics—such as emotional reactivity—that predisposed them to behave in certain ways, which in turn evoked certain responses from others.
We will draw on the neuropsychosocial approach—considering all three types of factors and their feedback loops—to understand the various psychological disorders discussed in this book. Neurological factors (genetics, brain structure and function, and bodily responses), psychological factors (learning and behavior, mental processes and mental contents, and emotions), social factors (social stressors, relationships, family, culture, and socioeconomic status), and the interactions among these factors all play a role in explaining psychological disorders.