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Sad Announcement About Patrick Laughlin |
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| Posted by: | Norb Kerr |
| Title/Position: | Professor of Psychology |
| School/Organization: | Michigan State University |
| Sent to listserv of: | SPSP, SESP, SPSSI |
| Date posted: | August 29th, 2012 |
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We are deeply saddened to report the passing of our friend and colleague Professor Patrick Laughlin on Sunday, August 26, 2012, after several months of poor health. Over nearly five decades, Pat Laughlin's many scholarly, theoretical, and empirical contributions have enriched the scientific study of group behavior. Most of Pat’s work was concerned with group performance on intellective problems, those with a demonstrably correct solution. His work provided answers to fundamental questions about group task performance. How do groups combine the different opinions, ideas, and preferences of the group members into a collective group response? What is the effect of experience in a group on subsequent group member learning, beliefs, or preferences? What problem-solving principles can be transferred from groups to individuals? One of Pat's most important contributions is that he singlehandedly created a new domain of inquiry: collection induction, the cooperative search for generalizations, rules, and principles. He published more than 50 publications on this topic. His extensive and programmatic experimental work was marked by penetrating designs, crystal-clear writing, and judicious interpretation.
In addition, Pat taught and mentored several generations of active group scholars, first at Loyola University Chicago and then at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. We who were fortunate to learn from and work with Pat will miss his passion for ideas, his high ethical standards, his intellectual curiosity, and his integrity.
A family visitation will occur on Friday, September 7, in Urbana, Illinois, with a funeral mass said on Saturday, September 8. For details, please see:
http://www.renner-wikoffchapel.com/
Pat is survived by his wife, Rosemary, and three sons, Gregory, Mark, and Richard. Condolences may be sent to Rosemary Laughlin, 2106 Ransom Place, Urbana, IL 61801, or to rosemarylaughlin@att.net.
Brian Bonner
Chris Earley
Andrea Hollingshead
Norbert Kerr
Dick McGlynn
Scott Tindale
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