(Mis-)interpreting the vagueness of psychological concepts: Reply to Ng and Litson (2026).

American Psychologist 2026

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Authors: Fabian Hutmacher
DOI: 10.1037/amp0001676
Cited by: 1

Abstract

In our recent article, we argued that psychological concepts are inherently vague and that this vagueness cannot be circumvented. While the commentary by Ng and Litson (2026) raises important issues, it rests on a misinterpretation of our central claim. Here, we clarify our position by distinguishing vagueness from arbitrariness, imprecision, and ambiguity and explain why there is no contradiction between accepting the vagueness of psychological concepts and striving for greater conceptual clarity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Fields of Study & Subjects

Mental Health Research Topics Personality Traits and Psychology Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment

Publication details

Journal / source
American Psychologist
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Volume
81
Issue
2
Pages
285–286
Publication date
1 February 2026
Language
EN