How Metaphor and Political Ideology Shape Lay Theories of Mental Disorders

Introduction: Lay theories of mental disorders impact social attitudes, stigma, and treatment seeking. We investigated whether common metaphors in mental health discourse shape lay beliefs about clinical disorders. Methods: Participants (N = 685) read a paragraph describing drug addiction (Experiment 1) or depression (Experiment 2) as either a demon or brain disease. They then reported their beliefs about and attitudes toward the condition. Results: Participants exposed to the brain disease frame expressed more support for a “medicalized” lay theory associated with a belief in underlying biological causes. We also found that participants with conservative political views held a more “moralized” view of both addiction and depression. This view is associated with a belief in personal causes, support for informal—as opposed to medical or psychological—treatments, and greater attributions of personal responsibility. Discussion: These findings help illuminate the factors that shape lay theories of mental disorders and have important implications for health communications.