Contact: Janet Chappell (541) 485-2711 or on-line at www.oslc.org.
Eugene, OR – (February 13, 2009) The American Psychology Association (APA) awarded local, preeminent researcher Dr. Gerald R. Patterson its highest honor, a Presidential Citation, to acknowledge his lifetime of contributions to the field of psychology, to commend his work as a mentor and collaborator, and to celebrate his example of how to lead a balanced life.
Past 2008 APA President Alan Kazdin, PhD, outlines the following in the citation:
Gerald R. Patterson’s contributions to psychology include widely-cited coercion theory, early leadership in the behavior therapy movement, ground-breaking and paradigmatic research on aggression and antisocial behavior, and the development and empirical testing of parent management training. More recently, he has written cogently about the origins of war. Dr. Patterson’s research has been characterized by methodological rigor, including careful observation of behavior, multi-method measurement, and the application of advanced statistical methods, and by his unremitting curiosity and openness to “what the data say.” He has served as a mentor and generous collaborator for a great number of well-known researchers, prevention scientists and clinicians, extending his passion for science and for helping families and youth well beyond his own work. In addition to these accomplishments, he has many avocations and has a zest for life that provides a model of the balance between professional accomplishments and personal well-being.
“Jerry” Patterson is the co-founder and a Scientist Emeritus at the Oregon Social Learning Center in Eugene where he has led research projects for 30 years. He has authored or co-authored several books: Families, Living with Children, Coercive Family Process, Families with Aggressive Children, Parents and Adolescents, Antisocial Boys, and Antisocial Behavior.
Presidential Citation recipients are selected each year by the APA president and generally awarded the citation in recognition of contributions to the science and practice of psychology, efforts to improve and expand mental health services, and efforts to promote human welfare.
The American Psychological Association (APA), located in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. Its membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. APA works to advance psychology as a science and profession and as a means of promoting health, education, and human welfare.