Paul W. McReynolds (1919–2010).

If any man met the definition of being both a gentleman and a scholar, it was Paul W. McReynolds, who died in Loveland, Colorado, on December 4, 2010, at the age of 91. Paul’s interests were wide-ranging, and his contributions to the profession were many. He delighted in teaching courses on the history of psychology, personality theory and assessment, motivation, behavior disorders, and psychotherapy. Paul received many honors and awards. He was a prolific and careful scholar and a dedicated teacher, and he strived to maintain the highest personal and academic standards. His influence on the field of psychology and on those of us who knew him will continue for years to come. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Remembering Arthur Kornhauser: Industrial psychology's advocate for worker well-being.

Arthur Kornhauser was an early industrial psychologist whose contributions have been neglected in written histories of applied psychology. Throughout his career, he was a staunch advocate for an industrial psychology that concentrated on improving workers' lives. This article describes his contributions to improving worker well-being in the research areas of testing, employee attitude surveying, labor unions, and mental health of workers. His most enduring quality was his outspoken advocacy for an industrial psychology that addressed workers' issues instead of management's prerogatives. On the basis of Kornhauser's accomplishments, a case can be made for him as one of industrial and organizational psychology's most important early figures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

G. Michael Pressley (1951-2006).

Presents an obituary for G. Michael Pressley. Although he was a prolific scholar, George Michael Pressley was not an armchair professor. His favorite place to be was in K-12 schools, working to improve schooling in America by studying outstanding practice. His work in schools served as the catalyst for his most important scholarly contributions. These spanned a broad range of topics, including children's memory development, the characteristics of highly effective students, reading assessment and instruction, the attributes of exemplary teachers and schools, and the interplay between motivation and learning. Michael made basic theoretical contributions in each of these fields, but in keeping with his passion to improve education, he devoted much of his time to identifying effective instructional practices in each area. Many of these practices have been adopted by schools, incorporated into educational materials, and integrated into teacher preparation programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Awards for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest 1986: John Janeway Conger.

John Janeway Conger, one of the 1986 recipients of the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest, is recognized for "his remarkable contributions to the public interest during the course of his unique career as a researcher, teacher, administrator and policymaker in psychology. A foremost expert in the areas of childhood and adolescence, he is author of two exemplary texts. He contributed extensive research and policy consultation to the field of highway safety. He has made his expertise in human development and mental health available in influential positions, most notably as member of President Carter's Commission on Mental Health and as the first consultant on Mental Health (later, Vice President) to the MacArthur Foundation. His presidency of the APA focused on public interest issues of particular concern to children and youth. The same sterling qualities of competence and responsibility led to his long tenure as Vice President of Medical Affairs and Dean at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, a leadership role to which he was recently recalled as Acting Chancellor. In all of these roles, he has represented psychology at its best with wisdom, grace, unusual effectiveness and dedication." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Kurt Gottschaldt's ambiguous relationship with national socialism.

Kurt Gottschaldt (1902-1991) was active in psychological research in Germany throughout much of the past century. His best-known contributions relate to three "twin camps" he ran in the late 1930s. These twin camps were designed help assess the relative contributions of heredity and environment in determining the development of psychological attributes and behavior. Gottschaldt's conclusions favored a hereditarian interpretation of his results, and Gottschaldt promoted the relevance of his twin research to "race psychology." Although Gottschaldt is sometimes described as a defender of scientific objectivity who maintained independence from Nazi ideology during the National Socialist era, some of his work suggests that a modest revision of this view may be required. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

John C. Flanagan: Distinguished Professional Contribution Award.

Recognizes the receipt of the American Psychological Association's 1976 Distinguished Professional Contribution Award by John C. Flanagan. The award citation reads: "His many contributions to professional psychology began when he assembled the staff and directed the program of Aviation Psychology during World War II. Through ingenious test development and careful validation, this program not only made an important contribution to the combat effectiveness of the Air Corps but also demonstrated the potential of this kind of classification testing on a nationwide basis, more recently exemplified by Project TALENT. His career has been distinguished also by his founding and leadership of the American Institutes for Research. With great imagination and leadership, John C. Flanagan has made a distinguished contribution in professional psychology." A biography and a listing of the recipient's scientific writings are also included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Edward C. Webster (1909-1989).

Presents an obituary for Edward C. Webster, recipient of the 1982 Distinguished Award for Contributions to Canadian Psychology as a Profession and Professor Emeritus of McGill University. Webster died on February 15, 1989. His career was dedicated to the application of psychological principles to real life problems, not just in practice but in research, in administration, and in service to his profession and community. Although committed to the development of applied psychology generally, Ed's major impact on theory and research was in industrial psychology, particularly in personnel selection. Like many other practitioners, he made extensive use of the interview as an information gathering technique, upon which recommendations to hire were based. Another major contribution he made to Canadian professional psychology was undoubtedly the role he played in the Couchiching Conference on the training of applied psychologists, which culminated in the book he wrote in 1967, The Couchiching Report: Training in Professional Psychology in Canada. Ed Webster will be long remembered for his commitment to and promotion of applied psychology at McGill and in Canada, for his contributions to the literature in personnel selection, and for his support of the work of students and colleagues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Martin T. Orne (1927–2000)).

Memorializes Martin T. Orne, one of the world's foremost authorities on hypnosis, an expert on the social psychology of the psychological experiment, and a leading figure in behavioral medicine. During his career he held appointments at the University of Pennsylvania in psychiatry and psychology. His primary research interest was the objective study of subjective states of mind. His doctoral dissertation, published in 1959, largely defined the field of hypnosis research for more than 20 yrs, and his studies of analgesia, antisocial behavior, and human performance are regarded as classic contributions to the field. Largely on the basis of his experience with hypnosis, Orne developed an analysis of the psychological experiment as a distinctive social situation in which both Ss and experimenters are active participants. In addition, he served as Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis from 1961–1992. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Obituary: Howard S. Hoffman (1925-2006).

Presents an obituary for Howard S. Hoffman. Although he made many contributions to the field of psychology, Hoffman is probably best known for his role in bringing the study of the startle reflex into psychology and for "rediscovering" prepulse inhibition. Prepulse inhibition was first described in 1862 by Sechenov and was rediscovered at least twice before Hoffman discovered it again in 1963. Hoffman was the first to use the term prepulse. He continued his work on startle into the 1980s. His many papers on the reflex and its modification laid the groundwork for the widespread use of prepulse inhibition today in studies of schizophrenia and other disorders. In addition, Hoffman made important contributions to developmental psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lorrin Andrews Riggs (1912-2008).

Lorrin Andrews Riggs was a leading scholar in the field of visual psychophysics and physiology. His research brought new understanding to the functioning of the visual system, and his numerous students have continued to make notable contributions to visual science. Although he received an extraordinary number of professional honors during his lifetime, he remained a humble scientist and congenial colleague and friend. Lorrin Riggs died on April 10, 2008, in Hanover. He was 95. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Frank Landy (1942–2010).

Frank Landy died peacefully with his family by his side on January 12, 2010. His legacy to the education, research, and practice of industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology will live on in his students, his books and articles, and his ability to define and shape science and practice. Landy believed that good practice followed from good science and spent his career applying what he learned from his own research and the work of others to diverse problems related to selecting employees, managing performance, creating successful human–machine interfaces, and ensuring fair employment practices through his litigation-related work. He was the definition of a scientist–practitioner. Landy was born in Philadelphia on December 30, 1942. He began his study of psychology at Villanova University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1964. He earned a master’s degree (1966) and his doctorate (1969) from Bowling Green State University. Landy joined the faculty at Pennsylvania State University, and during his 26 years there he helped to build one of the most successful I/O psychology programs in the country. He was a member of many professional organizations and won many awards for his outstanding contributions to the field. He began his consulting career in 1965 and helped hundreds of organizations by applying psychological research to the solution of practical problems in human resource management, employee relations, and work motivation. Landy was an avid runner, completing more than 60 marathons, and he often participated in runs at the SIOP conferences. He played and collected guitars and was a great lover of music, often playing and singing publicly. He is survived by his wife Kylie Harper, his two daughters Erin and Elizabeth, his son-in-law George, and his four grandchildren. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brian Mullen (1955-2006).

Presents an obituary for Brian Mullen. In a field that values empirical precedent and established paradigms, Brian Mullen's career was one of passion and originality. He was motivated by pure intellectual curiosity; the recognition he received for his pioneering work in archival methodology, meta-analysis, and group processes and relations was secondary. His contributions to the field of social psychology were unique and will be enduring. His 1985 book with Robert Rosenthal, BASIC Meta-Analysis: Procedures and Programs, is a classic. In 2006, he was identified as the 15th most cited scholar in social psychology textbooks. Brian died of cancer on May 4, 2006. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

John F. Chaves (1941-2008).

John F. Chaves is best known for championing a scientific approach to hypnosis. Through his 75 publications, he also made important contributions to the psychological treatment of pain, education in dentistry, and psychological aspects of illness. Sadly, John died in his home, in Tucson, Arizona, on February 2, 2008, after a two-year battle with stomach cancer. He was 66 years old. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Obituary: W. Horsley Gantt (1892-1980).

This item presents an obituary for W. Horsley Gantt (1892-1980). He first studied medicine at the University of North Carolina and received his medical degree in 1920 from the University of Virginia. John Dewey was especially influential in helping Horsley obtain a position at the Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore in 1929, where he immediately started the first Pavlovian laboratory in the US. physiology. In 1950, while still at Hopkins, he started a second Pavlovian laboratory at the Veterans Administration Hospital at Perry Point, Maryland; he continued as director there until 1974. Horsley continued as professor emeritus at Hopkins, where, until three weeks before his death, he lectured, attended conferences, and participated in symposia. He was also a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland Medical School, where he taught each spring semester. Simultaneously, he was research professor at the Performance Research Laboratory of the University of Louisville, collecting data until two months before he died. Horsley was widely honored for the research and theories he developed over the past 50 years, and he personally regarded his theories of schizokinesis and autokinesis as his most important contributions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

John P. Seward (1905–1985).

Presents an obituary for John Seward. John Seward was born April 24, 1905, in New York City, the son of J. Perry and Eadith de Charmes Seward. After graduating from Cornell in 1926, Seward went to Columbia University to pursue his developing interest in psychology and received his PhD in 1931. Seward developed a focus on learning and the conditions of reinforcement in the late 1930s, a direction that became the major area of his research and theorizing for the remainder of his life. In 1946, he joined the faculty at the University of California-Los Angeles. There followed a series of important articles on learning and problems of reinforcement. During the late 1940s and the 1950s he became known as a major contributor to learning theory, especially for his efforts at reconciling the theories of Tolman and Hull, the two major theorists of the time. Following his retirement from UCLA in 1972, Seward continued in research that concerned sex differences in behavior and socialization. He died in 1985. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Angus Campbell.

Presents the biography and scientific contributions for Angus Campbell, a recipient for the award for Distinguished Scientific Contribution in 1974. For his leadership in bringing social psychology to bear upon the patterning of perceptions, attitudes, and complex behaviors observed in historically significant populations, through the development of the sample survey. His research interests have ranged widely, from seminal studies of political behavior, through race relations, to more recent inquiries concerning the perceived quality of life. His wisdom and far-sightedness as an administrator have nurtured a large research institution of remarkable disciplinary breadth, and he commands the deep respect and affection of his diversely trained colleagues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

John I. Lacey (1915-2004).

John I. Lacey died on June 27, 2004. He was one of the pioneers in the integration of psychology and physiology. He worked to establish concepts that cut across disciplines--eschewing specialization within a cross-disciplinary area. Although a guiding figure in the founding of the Society for Neuroscience, John remained very active in the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Society for Psychophysiological Research until his professional retirement. John's career was characterized by a focused search for specific mechanisms defining how psychological processes interact with physiological processes. John Lacey has left us a legacy of a scientific approach that focuses directly on the relation between psychological concepts and their realization in physiological function. His creativity and breadth of knowledge contributed mightily to the currently burgeoning fields of neuroscience and behavioral medicine. His approach reminds us to continue to include solid psychological science when venturing into these fields. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions: Hans H. Strupp.

Recognizing the diversity of roles and activities in which many professional psychologists are engaged, beginning in 1979, Professional Awards have been presented to individual members of the Association whose distinguished contributions have served to advance psychology as a profession in the areas of knowledge, public service, and professional practice. Hans Strupp was the recipient of the Distinguished Professional Contributions to Knowledge award. Strupp was cited for his numerous contributions to the knowledge and practice of professional psychology. A pioneer in the study of therapeutic process and change, he has forged rigorous research methods for studying psychotherapy. His stewardship of psychotherapy research has helped form it into a respected field of scientific inquiry, and his active leadership in the integration of clinical and research knowledge has been invaluable to the psychotherapy professions. In addition to the citation, a biography and selected bibliography of his works are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ingenuity and innovation—The hallmarks of Brimacombe’s pioneering contributions to process engineering

Keith Brimacombe is remembered as one of the innovative giants in materials process engineering in the twentieth century. His impact stretches across diverse areas ranging from gas injection and flash smelting in nonferrous pyrometallurgy, on the one hand, to the continuous casting of steel, microstructural engineering, and rotary kilns on the other. Among his formidable research accomplishments, his contribution to steel processing stands out. It was an area which challenged him and from which he gained enormous intellectual satisfaction. In this article, Dr. Brimacombe’s remarkable contributions to steel research are reviewed to reveal his ingenuity and innovation, which were hallmarks of his efforts. These qualities had a profound impact, not only on the quality of his research discoveries, but also on the people he mentored, the discipline of materials process engineering he fostered, and on institutions spanning universities, industry, professional societies, and government. How did he accomplish so much in such a short time? What can we learn from his example? We learn that it is not time, but creativity and dedication to the goal, that matters. We learn while Dr. Brimacombe possessed remarkable creative genius, it can be taught and fostered in individuals in our universities, in industry, and in society. We learn that breaking down barriers between artificial disciplinary boundaries, between institutions, and, most importantly, between people is critical in fostering ingenuity and innovation. We learn that enhancing communication through discourse and debate, recognizing and rewarding excellence, and creating the right culture in an organization is paramount. Above all, we learn that people are our most valuable resource. The importance of these lessons for universities, industry, and professional societies, at this time of immense technological and social transformation, will be explored in this article. Brimacombe’s legacy and inspiring career are a beacon for us all as we manage change and steward this planet we call home.