Advancing Science, Clinical Care and Education: Shall we Update Engel’s Biopsychosocial Model to a Bio-Psycho-Socio-Cultural Model?

Abstract

Psychology and Cognitive Sciences attempts to lead, organize and contribute to the 
study of mind and intelligence, including memory, emotions, conceptual development and 
decision-making. It therefore draws on the fields of psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, 
mathematics, computer science and linguistics. The primary scope, accordingly, involves human behavior, cognition, emotions, and intelligence. As we move forward with this scope, we 
have the option to narrow or expand it, based on the evolution of the fields, readers’ preferences, and in how much we want to entertain applications of this work. In the latter case, one 
potential secondary scope is how we apply this science to other areas of science, to training 
and education paradigms, or even clinical populations – this may occur via rich, contextualized 
narratives that capitalize on qualitative methodology to generate hypotheses that can be further 
explored. Natural extensions to this primary scope are bio and health informatics, but perhaps 
education and training of workforce and the next generation of scientists would be suitable, too. 
This editorial on the Biopsychosocial Model - an update suggested on it - shows the primary 
and potential secondary scopes of the Journal.