Scott O. Lilienfeld

Papers

Total Citations

330

H-Index

About

Scott O. Lilienfeld was a towering figure in clinical psychological science, best known for his incisive critiques of pseudoscience in psychology and his rigorous work on personality disorders. His research spanned the boundaries of psychopathology, personality assessment, and the philosophy of science, where he championed evidence-based practice and intellectual humility. Among his most influential contributions is his work on the "uncanny valley" hypothesis, a 2015 paper (330 citations) that critically examined the nonlinear relationship between a robot's human likeness and its likability, synthesizing decades of experimental data to refine Mori's original theory. Lilienfeld's broader impact is staggering: his work on psychopathy, particularly the distinction between primary and secondary variants, reshaped forensic psychology, while his books, such as *50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology*, became essential reading for students and researchers alike. A relentless advocate for scientific skepticism, he exposed the dangers of repressed memory therapies and projective tests, earning over 50,000 citations across his career. His legacy endures as a beacon of critical thinking, urging researchers to question dogma and embrace methodological rigor.