A critique of Robert Chapman’s social-ecological relational functional analysis of mental functioning

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dc.contributor.advisorStrijbos, Derek
dc.contributor.authorBardt, Melina
dc.date.issued2025-08-27
dc.description.abstractWithin the neurodiversity paradigm, Robert Chapman has recently prompted an alternative functional analysis, which is based on a social-ecological model of mental functioning. Chapman argues that a more relational understanding of mental functioning advances clinical psychiatric practices, as it challenges presumed functional norms. This paper is a critique of Chapman’s relational functional analysis. It investigates whether the alternative functional analysis based on the social-ecological model is beneficial for psychiatric practice. While I am in favour of appreciating diversity in minds and brains, and recognise the need for relational and contextual thinking to understand the complexity of mental functioning, I argue that relational functional analysis in its current form is not suitable for psychiatry. My argument is twofold: first, I demonstrate that the social-ecological model has a general problem in determining function. Second, I illustrate how the model’s conceptual liberalism and arbitrariness pose application problems for psychiatry. I discuss two examples which show that a relational social-ecological functional analysis is less appealing than Chapman suggests. This approach comes with implicit norms that can make the assessment of mental health a dangerous business.
dc.identifier.urihttps://theses.ubn.ru.nl/handle/123456789/19310
dc.language.isoen
dc.thesis.facultyFaculteit der Filosofie, Theologie en Religiewetenschappen
dc.thesis.specialisationspecialisations::Faculteit der Filosofie, Theologie en Religiewetenschappen::Philosophy: Research Master::Philosophy of Mind
dc.thesis.studyprogrammestudyprogrammes::Faculteit der Filosofie, Theologie en Religiewetenschappen::Philosophy: Research Master
dc.thesis.typeResearchmaster
dc.titleA critique of Robert Chapman’s social-ecological relational functional analysis of mental functioning

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