Jordan Peterson
Encyclopedia
Jordan B. Peterson is a tenured research and clinical Ph.D psychologist
who currently teaches at the University of Toronto. He frequently appears on TVO
on various topics. His research interests include self-deception
, mythology
, religion
, narrative
, neuroscience
, personality
, deception
, creativity
, intelligence
and motivation
. He is one of the two professors listed in the Arts & Science Students Union's Anti-Calendar rated as life-changing by students.
as an Assistant and an Associate Professor
before returning to Canada and taking a position at the University of Toronto. Peterson currently resides in Toronto. He grew up in Fairview, Alberta, Canada, a small town of 3000 people 360 miles northwest of Edmonton, Alberta. He resided in Montreal from 1985-1993, where he studied under the supervision of Dr. Robert O. Pihl and Dr. Maurice Dongier
. From 1993-1998 he lived in Arlington, Massachusetts
, while teaching and conducting research at Harvard. He has resided in Toronto since 1998.
on shows such as Big Ideas and The Agenda with Steve Paikin, where he currently serves as a monthly essayist..
personality model; and the Future Authoring program, which steps users through the process of envisioning and then planning their desired futures, three to five years down the road. The latter program was used with McGill University
undergraduates on academic probation to improve their grades.
The Self Authoring programs were developed in partial consequence of research conducted by James Pennebaker at the University of Texas and Gary Latham at the Rotman School of Management
at the University of Toronto
. Pennebaker demonstrated that writing about traumatic or uncertain events and situations improved mental and physical health, while Latham has demonstrated that planning exercises that are personal help make people more productive.
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
who currently teaches at the University of Toronto. He frequently appears on TVO
TVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
on various topics. His research interests include self-deception
Self-deception
Self-deception is a process of denying or rationalizing away the relevance, significance, or importance of opposing evidence and logical argument...
, mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, narrative
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
, neuroscience
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system. Traditionally, neuroscience has been seen as a branch of biology. However, it is currently an interdisciplinary science that collaborates with other fields such as chemistry, computer science, engineering, linguistics, mathematics,...
, personality
Personality psychology
Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that studies personality and individual differences. Its areas of focus include:* Constructing a coherent picture of the individual and his or her major psychological processes...
, deception
Deception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
, creativity
Creativity
Creativity refers to the phenomenon whereby a person creates something new that has some kind of value. What counts as "new" may be in reference to the individual creator, or to the society or domain within which the novelty occurs...
, intelligence
Intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
and motivation
Motivation
Motivation is the driving force by which humans achieve their goals. Motivation is said to be intrinsic or extrinsic. The term is generally used for humans but it can also be used to describe the causes for animal behavior as well. This article refers to human motivation...
. He is one of the two professors listed in the Arts & Science Students Union's Anti-Calendar rated as life-changing by students.
Personal life
Jordan Peterson has a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Alberta. He received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from McGill University. He taught at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
as an Assistant and an Associate Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
before returning to Canada and taking a position at the University of Toronto. Peterson currently resides in Toronto. He grew up in Fairview, Alberta, Canada, a small town of 3000 people 360 miles northwest of Edmonton, Alberta. He resided in Montreal from 1985-1993, where he studied under the supervision of Dr. Robert O. Pihl and Dr. Maurice Dongier
Maurice Dongier
Dr Maurice Dongier is a neuropsychiatrist at the Douglas Hospital Research Centre in Montreal, Canada. He is a Knight of the French Legion of Honour as well as a connoisseur of wine and fine cooking...
. From 1993-1998 he lived in Arlington, Massachusetts
Arlington, Massachusetts
Arlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, six miles northwest of Boston. The population was 42,844 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, while teaching and conducting research at Harvard. He has resided in Toronto since 1998.
Media appearances
Dr. Peterson has appeared frequently on TVOTVOntario
TVOntario, often referred to only as TVO , is a publicly funded, educational English-language television station and media organization in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario Educational Communications Authority, a Crown corporation owned by the Government of Ontario...
on shows such as Big Ideas and The Agenda with Steve Paikin, where he currently serves as a monthly essayist..
Online Projects
Dr. Peterson has produced a series of online writing exercises, available at www.selfauthoring.com. These include the Past Authoring Program, a guided autobiography; two Present Authoring Programs, which allow the user to analyze his or her personality faults and virtues in accordance with the Big FiveBig Five personality traits
In contemporary psychology, the "Big Five" factors of personality are five broad domains or dimensions of personality which are used to describe human personality....
personality model; and the Future Authoring program, which steps users through the process of envisioning and then planning their desired futures, three to five years down the road. The latter program was used with McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
undergraduates on academic probation to improve their grades.
The Self Authoring programs were developed in partial consequence of research conducted by James Pennebaker at the University of Texas and Gary Latham at the Rotman School of Management
Rotman School of Management
The Joseph L. Rotman School of Management commonly known as Rotman School of Management is the University of Toronto's business school, located in St. George Street in Downtown Toronto. The school, named after Joseph L...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. Pennebaker demonstrated that writing about traumatic or uncertain events and situations improved mental and physical health, while Latham has demonstrated that planning exercises that are personal help make people more productive.