Beyond Statistical Ritual: Theory in Psychological Science

More than 40 years ago, Paul Meehl (1978) published a seminal critique of the state theorizing in psychological science. According to Meehl, quality theories had diminished preceding decades, resulting statistical methods standing for theoretical rigor. In this introduction special issue Theory Psychological Science, we apply Meehl’s account contemporary We suggest that by time writing, psychology found itself midst crisis is typical maturing sciences, which been guiding research were gradually cast into doubt. Psychologists faced with same general choice when worldviews fail: Face reality and pursue knowledge absence certainty, or shift emphasis toward sources synthetic certainty. psychologists have too often chosen latter option, substituting certainties theory-guided research, much manner as Scholastic scholars did centuries ago. Drawing from our contributors, go on make recommendations how science may fully reengage theory-based