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Diathesis stress model or “Just So” story?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2010

Richard M. McFall
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405. mcfall@indiana.edu
James T. Townsend
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405.
Richard J. Viken
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405.

Abstract

Mealey's sociopathy model is an exemplar of popular diathesis-stress models. Although such models, when presented in descriptive language, offer the illusion of integrative explanation, their actual scientific value is very limited because they fail to make specific, quantitative, falsifiable predictions. Conceptual and quantitative weaknesses of such diathesis-stress models are discussed and the requirements for useful models are outlined.

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Type
Article Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

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