about me -
 

I study human social behavior from an evolutionary perspective, and when I am not conducting or writing up psychology experiments, I write for the average person-on-the-street.  I cover topics as diverse as why we grieve so deeply over the death of our dogs, why old people hate new music, and why clowns creep us out. I also appeared in several documentary films. (See a trailer for one of them.) 

I am the longest-serving psychology professor in the history of Knox College (43 years & counting), and in the almost 200-year-history of the college, only nine professors in any field served longer.

I have been deeply engaged with the day-to-day life of the college. Among other things, I founded the environmental studies program, served as the associate dean of the college, and chaired the psychology department for a decade. On the side, I also worked with the McNair Scholars Program and coached the wrestling team for many years, and I organized the annual Flunk Day softball game for longer than I can remember. My family and I even lived in the dormitories for four years as "Head Residents." 

Last, but not least, I had the distinct privilege of serving as Stephen Colbert's host and introducing him when he delivered the 2006 commencement address at Knox College.

PERSONAL TRIVIA:

*I was born on a U.S. military base in Germany and I grew up in the anthracite coal region of

  Northeastern Pennsylvania.  I also lived in Maine for five years, and I now reside on the prairie 

  in Western Illinois in a house that is 115-years-old.

*I am the oldest of five children and I attended Catholic Schools for 17 years.

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*I was a wrestler in high school (two-time state placewinner) and in college (team captain in an

  NCAA Division II program), and many of my academic colleagues are unaware that I

  masqueraded as a college wrestling coach for 30 years, with 12 years as a head coach.

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*I once pitched to a busload of tourists on the "Field of Dreams" baseball field in Iowa.

*My wife (Maryjo) and I have two grown children (Tim & Maura), one ungrown grandchild

  (Colleen), and a dog named Audrey Hepburn.

      * Maryjo was a long-time kindergarten teacher who found a second career as a college

         archivist.

       * Tim has degrees from Kenyon College & Washington University (St. Louis), and he works

          in the U.S. Intelligence Community. Tim's spouse, Rose Dunphy McAndrew, earned a

          doctorate in Occupational Therapy and has held faculty positions at several universities

          after putting in many years as a practicing therapist; their daughter Colleen is a 5th

          grader who plays the viola and enjoys swimming, video games, & anything related to

          Harry Potter.

      * Maura has degrees from Macalester College & the University of Pittsburgh. She is a

         writer, musician, editor, media specialist, and adjunct instructor at the University of 

         Oklahoma where her spouse, Robert Bailey, is an Associate Professor of Art History.

       * Audrey Hepburn mostly just drinks out of the toilet and does other dog stuff.

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*I have been lucky enough to have experienced the animals of South Africa and Tanzania in the

  wild.  (Click on the elephant to see pictures of an elephant attacking my car.)