Risky tests, verisimilitude, and path analysis

P. E. Meehl and N. G. Waller (2002) described a novel approach for appraising the verisimilitude of path analysis models. This approach uses limited information parameter estimates when assessing model fit and a nonparametric badness-of-fit measure that relies on path diagram combinatories. R. C. MacCallum, M. W. Browne, and K. J. Preacher (2002); C. S. Reichardt (2002); and S. Mulaik (2002) have provided comments on this work. In this article the authors respond to the commentators and reemphasize the importance of subjecting causal models to severe (risky) tests.