Francis T. McAndrew, Ph.D.
Social Psychologist
about me -
PROFESSIONAL TRIVIA:
*I have been teaching at Knox College for 46 years, and in the almost 200-year-history of Knox, only
four professors served longer.
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*When I am not teaching or conducting psychology experiments, I write for the average person-on-
the-street. I cover topics as diverse as why we grieve so deeply over the death of our dogs, why old
people hate new music, and why haunted houses creep us out.
*I appeared in more than a half-dozen documentary films. Click HERE to see a trailer from the most
recent one, and HERE to see a trailer from one of my earlier documentary appearances.​​
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*I had the distinct privilege of serving as Stephen Colbert's host and introducing him when he delivered
the 2006 commencement address at Knox College.
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*I will be retiring in the summer of 2025, and I have always been deeply engaged with the day-to-day
life of the college. Among other things, I coached the wrestling team, founded the environmental
studies program, worked with the McNair Scholars Program, and organized the annual Flunk Day
softball game. My family and I even lived in the dormitories for four years as Residence Hall Directors. ​
Learn more about my professional journey on the
PERSONAL TRIVIA:
*I was born on a U.S. military base in Germany and I grew up in the anthracite coal region of
Northeastern Pennsylvania. I also lived in Maine for five years, and I currently reside on the prairie in
Western Illinois.
*I am the oldest of five children and I attended Catholic Schools for 17 years.
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*I was a wrestler in high school and college, and most of my current students and colleagues are unaware
that I masqueraded as a college wrestling coach for 30 years, with 12 years as a head coach.
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*My first paying job as a kid was in a Circus, and I was last employed outside of Academia as a Banker.
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*I once pitched to a busload of tourists on the Field of Dreams baseball field in Iowa.
*My wife (Maryjo) and I have two grown children (Tim & Maura), one ungrown grandchild (Colleen), and a
dog named Audrey Hepburn. Here is a photo of me with Colleen on Christmas Eve in 2022:
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*Click on the elephant to see pictures of an elephant attacking my car.
Research Interests
Social Psychology
Education
B.S. in Psychology (1974 - magna ignoramus)​
​(with a concentration in English Literature)
The founding mission of King's College
was "to educate the sons of coal miners."
West Side Central Catholic High School
Kingston, Pennsylvania (1966-1970)
(now defunct)
Miscellaneous Dabbling
Animal Behavior
Clinical, Happiness, & Health Psychology
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Personality
Sport Psychology
Teaching of Psychology
