Complexity and accountability: The witches' brew of psychiatric genetics

被引:26
作者
Arribas-Ayllon, Michael [1 ]
Bartlett, Andrew [1 ]
Featherstone, Katie [2 ]
机构
[1] Cardiff Univ, ESRC Ctr Econ & Social Aspects Genom Cesagen, Cardiff CF10 3BG, S Glam, Wales
[2] Cardiff Univ, Sch Nursing & Midwifery Studies, Cardiff CF10 3BG, S Glam, Wales
基金
英国经济与社会研究理事会;
关键词
accountability; complexity; psychiatric genetics; rhetoric; D2-DOPAMINE RECEPTOR GENE; X-CHROMOSOME MARKERS; MOLECULAR-GENETICS; AFFECTIVE-DISORDER; LINKAGE; SCHIZOPHRENIA; ASSOCIATION; KNOWLEDGE; PROGRESS; ALLELE;
D O I
10.1177/0306312710363511
中图分类号
N09 [自然科学史]; B [哲学、宗教];
学科分类号
01 ; 0101 ; 010108 ; 060207 ; 060305 ; 0712 ;
摘要
This paper examines the role of complexity in descriptions of the aetiology of common psychiatric disorders. While scientists attest to the discovery of an underlying reality of complex inheritance - the so-called 'witches' brew' of genetic and non-genetic factors - we argue that 'complexity' also performs rhetorical work. In our analysis of scientific review papers (1999-2008), we find a relatively stable genre of accountability in which descriptions of complexity appear to neutralize past failures by incorporating different and sometimes competing methodological perspectives. We identify two temporal strategies: retrospective accounting, which reconstructs a history of psychiatric genetics that deals with the recent failures, citing earlier twin studies as proof of the heritability of common psychiatric disorders; and prospective accounting, which engages in the careful reconstruction of expectations by balancing methodological limitations with moderated optimism. Together, these strategies produce a simple-to-complex narrative that belies the ambivalent nature of complexity. We show that the rhetorical construction of complexity in scientific review papers is oriented to bridging disciplinary boundaries, marshalling new resources and reconstructing expectations that justify delays in gene discovery and risk prediction.
引用
收藏
页码:499 / 524
页数:26
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