Goethals earns SPSP award for distinguished service to society

George R. (Al) Goethals, a social psychologist in the University of Richmond's Jepson School of Leadership Studies, is a recipient of the 2013 Society for Personality and Social Psychology's award for distinguished service to the society.

"Al Goethals does not simply study leadership, he is a leader. Al has served the profession in a variety of ways, including a highly successful term as Provost of Williams College," according to SPSP's website.

"The Society recognizes him with the Award for Distinguished Service to the Society for his leadership as Secretary-Treasurer of SPSP during a pivotal time in the Society’s development. During his term as Secretary-Treasurer (1995-1997), Al shepherded the Society through lean financial times and helped establish a solid financial foundation for SPSP through its publications program. The Society for Personality and Social Psychology has benefited significantly over many years because of Al’s vision, wisdom, and guidance. His service to the Society was truly transformational."

Goethals holds the E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professorship in Leadership Studies. He joined the Jepson School in 2006.

He has published numerous books, chapters, and articles on social comparison processes, presidential leadership, peer interaction and performance, psychological approaches to understanding the economics of higher education, and heroes. Goethals received four research grants from the National Institute of Mental Health for his work on the studies of attribution theory and responses to social support and the role of similarity in social influence processes.

He earned the University's Distinguished Educator Award in 2008.