ABSTRACT
Hans Eysenck has been a prominent figure in psychology for at least three decades. His reputation as a gifted intellectual and scholar, dedicated scientist, prolific author and inspiring teacher is rarely disputed. It rests upon a tangible record of distinguished professional accomplishments. Whether he coined the term ‘behaviour therapy’ is a trivial issue and should not obscure the fact that tracing the roots of behaviour therapy inevitably leads to his pioneering work in learning theory, experimental psychology, psychopathology and psychologically-based therapy. Still, the question whether Eysenck has been influential in the development of behaviour therapy is a subject of disagreement. In this chapter we take up the question of Eysenck's contribution to contemporary behaviour therapy as it exists, and we speculate about his potential for contribution to future development in the field.
