Paul E. Meehl's influence on experimental psychopathology: fruits of the nexus of schizotypy and schizophrenia, neurology, and methodology.

Overview

Paul E. Meehl made numerous contributions to clinical science and a hallmark of many of these contributions was their integrative nature. Meehl's positions on complex topics, especially one such as schizophrenia, were reflective of input from a variety of disciplines and levels of analysis. In this essay the authors focus on Meehl's uniquely rich contribution to our understanding of schizophrenia through his theoretical model of schizotypy, his abiding interest in exploring neurologically based indicators of schizophrenia liability and encouragement to others to pursue such indicators, and his passion for rigorous research methodology. Meehl's contributions in each of these areas continue to influence the direction and research strategies used in experimental psychopathology to illuminate the fundamental nature of schizophrenia. These contributions have also shaped inquiry into many other psychopathological entities.