Which of the following is NOT true of Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) in psychology?

• A. RDoC aims to classify mental disorders based on observable symptoms alone.
• B. RDoC emphasizes understanding mental disorders through dimensions of behavior and neurobiological measures.
• C. RDoC seeks to integrate multiple levels of information, such as genetics, neural circuits, and behavior.
• D. RDoC was developed by the National Institute of Mental Health to improve research on mental disorders.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of Research Domain Criteria (RDoC). RDoC is a framework developed to improve the classification and understanding of mental disorders by focusing on dimensions of behavior and neurobiological measures rather than just observable symptoms.
2. Step 2: Recognize that RDoC integrates multiple levels of information, including genetics, neural circuits, and behavior, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of mental disorders.
3. Step 3: Note that RDoC was developed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to advance research by moving beyond traditional symptom-based categories.
4. Step 4: Identify the statement that contradicts the core principles of RDoC. Since RDoC does not classify mental disorders based solely on observable symptoms, the statement claiming it does so is NOT true.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the incorrect statement is the one asserting that RDoC aims to classify mental disorders based on observable symptoms alone, as this oversimplifies and misrepresents the RDoC framework.