Paul E. Meehl

Paul Everett Meehl (3 January 1920—14 February 2003) was an American psychology professor.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Meehl attended University of Minnesota, earning his bachelor's degree in 1941 and his doctorate in 1945. He went on to teach there throughout his career, with faculty appointments in psychology, law, psychiatry, neurology and philosophy.

Meehl was a leading philosopher of science. He was a follower of Sir Karl Popper's Falsificationism and a strident opponent of using statistical null hypothesis testing for the evaluation of theory. He believed that many of the "soft" areas of psychology (e.g. clinical, counseling, social, personality, and community) had produced little forward progression of scientific knowledge.

Meehl helped develop the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). His 1954 book Clinical vs. Statistical Prediction: A Theoretical Analysis and a Review of the Evidence, claimed statistical studies outperformed clinicians in predicting the best treatment for those considered mentally ill.

He was elected president of the American Psychological Association in 1962. That year, he theorized that schizophrenia has a genetic link.

In 1995, he was a signatory of a collective statement titled "Mainstream Science on Intelligence", written by Linda Gottfredson and published in the Wall Street Journal. Meehl published about 200 articles in his career and was honored with several prestigious awards by his peers.