Cybernetics, the study of principles governing goal-directed, self-regulating systems, offers a useful approach to understanding psychopathology or psychological dysfunction, overcoming limitations of other naturalistic approaches. Whereas influential theories of psychopathology have relied on definitions of dysfunction rooted in evolution and fitness, we define psychopathology in terms of cybernetic dysfunction, failure to make progress toward important goals. Cybernetic function in organisms is not identical to evolutionary function, despite their causal phylogenetic relationship. We define psychopathology as persistent failure to move toward one’s goals, due to failure to generate effective new goals, interpretations, or strategies when existing ones prove unsuccessful. This definition allows a thorough integration of dimensional approaches to psychopathology and personality and provides a new perspective on the nosology of mental disorder. We review evidence that the major dimensions of psychopathology correspond to major trait dimensions of personality, but we assert that extremity on these dimensions is neither necessary nor sufficient for psychopathology, which requires cybernetic dysfunction. Drawing from psychological and neurobiological research on personality and psychopathology, we present a theory of the mechanisms underlying the five major dimensions of psychopathology, some of their subdimensions, and the general risk factor for psychopathology. We conclude by discussing implications of our theory for research, diagnosis, and mental health interventions.

中文翻译：

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控制论的精神病理学理论

控制论是控制目标导向的自我调节系统原理的研究，它提供了一种有用的方法来理解心理病理学或心理功能障碍，克服了其他自然主义方法的局限性。尽管有影响力的心理病理学理论依赖于起源于进化和适应性的功能障碍的定义，但我们根据控制论的功能障碍，未能实现重要目标的进展来定义心理病理学。尽管它们具有因果关系，但有机体中的控制论功能与进化功能并不相同。我们将心理病理学定义为无法实现自己的目标的持久性失败，这是由于在现有目标，解释或策略无法成功实现时未能产生有效的新目标，解释或策略。该定义允许将维度方法完全整合到心理病理学和人格中，并为精神障碍的疾病学提供新的视角。我们审查了证据，心理病理学的主要方面与人格的主要特征方面相对应，但是我们断言在这些方面的极端情况对于心理病理学既不是必需的也不是足够的，而心理病理学需要控制论的功能障碍。通过对人格和心理病理学的心理学和神经生物学研究，我们提出了有关心理病理学五个主要方面，其某些子维度以及心理病理学一般危险因素的潜在机制的理论。最后，我们讨论了我们的理论对研究，诊断和心理健康干预的意义。