The central theme of this book presents a challenging and controversial new view of psychosis--that the features of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia actually lie on a continuum with, and form part of, normal behavior and experience. The dispositional or "schizotypal" traits associated with psychotic disorders, while increasing one's chances for mental illness, also lead to positive outcomes such as enhanced creativity or spiritual experience. Each aspect of this theme is supported by extensive experimental and clinical evidence, questioning the conventional medical wisdom that treats psychotic illness in the narrow context of neurological disease. The result is an authoritative and provocative overview of an important topic in psychological research and clinical practice.