Abstract
Does psychological distress result from an orderly, comprehensible, and predictable process, or is there unpredictable, incomprehensible randomness to the experience of psychological distress? These are the extreme points of view which bracket the complex question whether a psychological order to the universe exists. Sometimes, asking the right question is the critical endeavor, however, it is critically important not only to ask this grand question but also to answer it correctly as well. The answer to this question matters to psychology in its effort to reduce psychological distress from traumatic events and to law in its effort to assess responsibility for the consequences of wrongful events. The answer is not intuitively obvious and, unfortunately, has been the subject of precious little critical analysis from the lens of law and psychology. Using the question of the existence of a psychological order to the universe to anchor the analysis, this chapter first explores the legal rules that govern proof of causation of psychological harm in personal injury actions and their rationale. It then critically explores alternative models that the courts have applied for proof of psychological harm. Finally, after consideration of the psychological, moral, and economic imperatives served by the requirement of causation, it offers a new perspective for assessing the admissibility of expert evidence providing a causal link between tortious behavior and compensable psychological harm.
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Shuman, D.W., Hardy, J.L. (2007). Causation, Psychology, and Law. In: Causality of Psychological Injury. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-36445-2_20
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