Eysenck defined psychoticism as the loss or distortion of reality and the inability to distinguish fantasy from reality. According to Eysenck, pyschoticism does not have a polar opposite; rather,...

Eysenck defined psychoticism as the loss or distortion of reality and the inability to distinguish fantasy from reality. According to Eysenck, pyschoticism does not have a polar opposite; rather, psychoticism is present in all individuals to one degree or another. Using Figure 12.3, identify the three traits of psychoticism that are most applicable to you. In effect, try to identify, in Eysenck’s terms, the traits most likely to predispose you to a psychotic episode. Then look back to the Thinking Critically box “How Normal Is Abnormal?” in the chapter on factor analytic theories. How does your response to Eysenck’s psychoticism scale inform the qualitative versus quantitative debate about normality versus abnormality?