Professor Christopher Peterson
Area: Clinical
Research Interests: My research is concerned with how and why cognitive personality variables (perceived control and explanatory style) pertain to such outcomes as depression, achievement, and physical well-being. I am also interested in the classification of measurement of human strengths and abilities.
What has been your proudest moment?
At the risk of posturing, let me say that I am most proud that I work in the
Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan. Our prestige and history
are of course nice, but what I most treasure are my colleagues, so many of whom I
respect and like, as psychologists but even more so as people.
What has been your most humbling experience?
Let me avoid deep disclosure and say that what makes me most proud—being
here at Michigan—is also what makes me most humble. I work in the academic
equivalent of Lake Woebegone where everyone, except me, seems far above average.
My professional life is an ongoing challenge just to keep up.
What do you wish you had known at the start of your career?
Notorious bank robber Willie Sutton was asked by a reporter why he robbed
banks. His answer, presumably delivered with incredulity, was simple: “Because that’s
where the money is.” Thirty years ago, I wish I had known where the banks were.
What is one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I am a tournament Scrabble player.
If you had to choose another career, what
would it be?
I have been a psychologist for thirty of
my fifty-five years. At this point in life, I am
comfortable with what I do, and if I did something
else, I would not be me. Still, I could see
myself as a writer, probably of mystery or science
fiction novels.
"Five Minutes With..." Features
Rob Sellers | Cathy Lord | Patti Reuter-Lorenz | Monique Ward
Chris Peterson | Bill McKeachie | Margaret Shih | Cindy Lustig
On Our Minds 2005 Homepage
