Make a difference

The Monitor asked developmental psychologist Jerome Kagan, PhD, Harvard professor emeritus, to talk about why he has included the American Psychological Foundation in his will.

Why did you decide to make a bequest to psychology through APF?

Supporting talented students who have chosen psychology is necessary to ensure a quality of scientific work that will advance our understanding of mental phenomena and, in select instances, contribute to the mental health of the nation.

What has psychology meant to you?

I chose psychology as my career early in my undergraduate years because I believed that a more profound understanding of development would be followed by insights that would guide new practices that parents and teachers could implement, which might reduce the mental illness burden. I have enjoyed my 59 years of research, teaching and writing and I feel a deep sense of privilege for the many satisfactions this choice of career brought.

Why do you feel that giving back is important?

I urge my colleagues to support APF in any way they can. The social sciences are faced with stiffer competition from the biologists for funds to support students and inquiry. Hence, increasing the amount of resources is more critical today than it was when I entered graduate school in 1950.

To read more about Kagan's vision about the future of psychology research, go to The ghost in the lab..