Stephen F. Davis is Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. Currently he is Visiting Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Texas Wesleyan University and Distinguished Guest Professor at Morningside College. In 2002-2003 he was the Knapp Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences at the University of San Diego. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from Southern Methodist University and his PhD in experimental psychology from Texas Christian University. In 2007 he was awarded the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by Morningside College. His research, which always includes student assistants, has investigated such diverse topics as academic dishonesty, learning versus grade orientation of students, Type A personality, the Impostor Phenomenon, and the behavioral effects of ingesting toxic metals. He is the author of more than 300 journal articles, 31 books, and more than 900 convention presentations.
Steve's teaching abilities have drawn acclaim on the national level. He has received the National Distinguished Teaching of Psychology Award from the American Psychological Foundation and the Teaching Excellence Award from Division Two (Society for the Teaching of Psychology) of the American Psychological Association. His professional accomplishments also include serving as president of the Southwestern Psychological Association, the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and Division Two of the American Psychological Association. He also served as the National President of Psi Chi (The National Honor Society in Psychology). He has been elected as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the American Psychological Society, and the American Association of Applied and Preventive Psychology.
Joe Palladino is Chair and Professor of Psychology at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, Indiana. He received all his academic degrees from Fordham University, including his Ph.D. in general theoretical psychology. His numerous articles and presentations have covered topics such as sleep and dreams, the death penalty, extra-credit opportunities, teaching methods, and techniques to encourage research by undergraduate students.
Joe founded the Mid-America Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference in 1982; it celebrated its 25th anniversary in April 2006. The Mid-America Conference for Teachers of Psychology, which he founded in 1984, became the model for regional teaching conferences. His contribution to the continuing education of teachers was recognized by the Faculty Service Award presented by the National University Continuing Education Association in 1991. In 1990 he received the Teaching Excellence Award from Division Two (Society for the Teaching of Psychology) of the American Psychological Association. He was elected to Fellow status in the American Psychological Association in 1989 and served as the president of Division Two in 1991-1992. He has also served Division Two as a consulting editor and the Methods and Techniques editor of Teaching of Psychology, and as chair of the program committee. In 2000 he received the University of Southern Indiana Alumni Association Faculty Recognition Award. He served as Midwestern Vice President of Psi Chi, The National Honor Society in Psychology (2000-2002). He and Mitch Handelsman of the University of Colorado Denver write the column On the Light Side which appears in the Psi Chi newsletter, Eye on Psi Chi. Joe also enjoys speaking to faculty on The Humor of Teaching; the Teaching of Humor. In addition, he created a number of the cartoons that accompanied the On the Light Side columns; and several of these now appear in this textbook.