Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book lays out foundational issues in taxometrics, provides a rationale for the method and develops a conceptual context for later methodological material. It discusses the fundamental question that the taxometric method was designed to answer, distinguishes the latent structures by the method, and the relevance of this structural distinction for theory, research, and practice. The book also discusses the nature of the classification problem in behavioral science, review the challenges faced by classification researchers in behavioral disciplines, and introduces the taxometric method as a promising way to meet these challenges. It includes an extended introduction, description, and demonstration of the taxometric method. The book emphasizes the extent to which rigorous research provides a foundation for making informed choices when selecting or implementing taxometric procedures and consistency tests as well as when interpreting their output.