Frank Farley Ph.D.

About

Frank Farley, Ph.D., is a psychologist and L.H.Carnell Professor at Temple University, Philadelphia. He was born and raised in Alberta, Canada, receiving two degrees in Canada before obtaining a doctorate from the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, UK. Before joining the faculty at Temple he was on the faculty for many years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is former President of the American Psychological Association (APA) and six of its Divisions, as well as the American Educational Research Association (AERA), International Council of Psychologists, among other scientific/professional societies. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, New York Academy of Sciences, APA, AERA, Association for Psychological Science, Midwestern Psychological Association, Eastern Psychological Association, Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, Canadian Psychological Association, among other honors. His scholarly interests include education, human development, extreme behavior, media, political psychology, risk-taking/thrill-seeking, heroism, personality, crime, creativity, the seven sins +/- two of psychological science, citizen science, the public intellectual.

Recent Posts

The Zimmerman Effect: Are We Losing Perspective on Horror?

The Zimmerman trial has riveted the nation in large part due to the relentless 24/7 media coverage. When massive national media resources are committed to one issue there are costs in the neglect of other broader, more significant concerns. There is narrow horror and broad horror, and the broader horror of 12000 gun homicides a year can be lost in the minutiae of one case.

V Day: Love and Sex—a Sampler

There are many factors in the complex yet elegant emotion, love, and also its relationship to sexuality. Generosity, giving, common ground, dark low-sugar chocolates, full-out sex, and much more, are the muse of the years most important public day.

The Stress Map: Who, Where, When, Why and What

Stress is a major factor in both mental and physical health. It can be a risk factor for depression and anxiety; can affect your immune system, blood pressure, neck, low back and shoulder pain, and more. Taking the measure of America where our stress is concerned is important, and the American Psychological Association contributes to this each year in a national survey.

M.L.King Jr.'s Visit With Psychology

MLK Jr., came to Washington Sept. 1, 1967, to speak to the APA Convention, outlining things he felt psychology could help with in the issues he was confronting, including civil rights, political action, non-violent protest, and what he called "creative maladjustment." He was assassinated 7 months later. This author chatted with him briefly, in an unpredicted conversation.

Martin Luther King, Jr., A Hero For All Time

Martin Luther King Jr., is consistently ranked in the top group of heroes in surveys of Americans. The nature of his heroism is explored in terms of three categories of heroic behavior and frequent attributes of heroes via the 5-D Model of Heroism. His heroism can be described as Big H Heroism where the stakes are high and the risks are high.

Martin Luther King Jr., is consistently ranked in the top group of heroes in surveys of Americans. The nature of his heroism is explored in terms of three categories of heroic behavior and frequent attributes of heroes via the 5-D Model of Heroism. His heroism can be described as Big H Heroism where the stakes are high and the risks are high.

2013: Science's Seven Sins and a National Violence Project

The runaway use of the term "science" in psychology writing belies several problems in our science. The "New Science of____", fill in a psychological term, is a widely used phrase implying research on the topic meets most or many of the canons of good science; the reader can know this is reliable, valid work. Alas, not always true.
Violence, education, diagnosis noted.

The runaway use of the term "science" in psychology writing belies several problems in our science. The "New Science of____", fill in a psychological term, is a widely used phrase implying research on the topic meets most or many of the canons of good science; the reader can know this is reliable, valid work. Alas, not always true.
Violence, education, diagnosis noted.

The Beast In All Of Us: A Brief Tour

Metaphorical thinking derived from the animal kingdom is used in all cultures to reflect emotions, motives, attitudes, beliefs and more, with vivid examples that make the point, the communication, clear. Some, of course, are not so clear, and the origins of some are murky. As new species are found and we learn their behavior, we may expect to expand our metaphorical manual

Metaphorical thinking derived from the animal kingdom is used in all cultures to reflect emotions, motives, attitudes, beliefs and more, with vivid examples that make the point, the communication, clear. Some, of course, are not so clear, and the origins of some are murky. As new species are found and we learn their behavior, we may expect to expand our metaphorical manual

2012: Bad, Better, Best

Some important developments in psychology during 2012 include the raised consciousness over major violence--Big V violence, in America, what psychology needs to do; the growing evidence for psychotherapy effectiveness, what the key ingredients might be; the continuing critical debate over diagnosis, outlining a new direction;the passing of giants; torture; bad movie; more.

Some important developments in psychology during 2012 include the raised consciousness over major violence--Big V violence, in America, what psychology needs to do; the growing evidence for psychotherapy effectiveness, what the key ingredients might be; the continuing critical debate over diagnosis, outlining a new direction;the passing of giants; torture; bad movie; more.

Wake-Up America, The Curse is Killing Your Kids

The American Gun Curse was no more horrific than in the December 14 school massacre in Connecticut. It is proposed that prevention science in a concentrated and massive equivalent to the Kennedy-era Moon Mission, or Manhattan Project or the Human Genome Project must be pursued to understand and diminish the horrific use of guns in America.

The American Gun Curse was no more horrific than in the December 14 school massacre in Connecticut. It is proposed that prevention science in a concentrated and massive equivalent to the Kennedy-era Moon Mission, or Manhattan Project or the Human Genome Project must be pursued to understand and diminish the horrific use of guns in America.

Our Un-American 'Addiction' to Royalty

Our relentless obsession with Royal doings is symptomatic of media's and the common culture's retreat from the American dream, its history, its continuing battles for egalitarian opportunity, and why its democratic ideals need continual re-affirmation, for ourselves, and as a beacon for the world. Inherited privilege is on the nature side, America is more the nurture side.

Our relentless obsession with Royal doings is symptomatic of media's and the common culture's retreat from the American dream, its history, its continuing battles for egalitarian opportunity, and why its democratic ideals need continual re-affirmation, for ourselves, and as a beacon for the world. Inherited privilege is on the nature side, America is more the nurture side.