Tracy B. Henley, Ph.D.

Professor

Tracy B. Henley, Ph.D., is a multi-faceted individual who enjoys working with his students. He spends his free time designing tabletop games.

A Conversation with Dr. Tracy B. Henley

What would you tell a student who is thinking about attending East Texas A&M?

Your college experience is ultimately what you make of it.

How has East Texas A&M influenced your life and/or career?

Being part of East Texas A&M has reinforced the fact that there are great people and great opportunities here if you make time to seek them out.

Tell us about an academic project you are working on or recently completed.

I just published (2020) a book on psychology in prehistory, and am now working on a sequel to it.

Educational Background

• Ph.D., Psychology, University of Tennessee, 1989
• M.A., Philosophy, University of Tennessee
• B.A., Philosophy and Psychology, University of Mississippi, 1985

Academic Positions

• Professor, East Texas A&M University, 2003-present
• Professor, Mississippi State University, 1991-2003
• Assistant Professor (Ad Interim), University of Tennessee, 1989-1990

Honors and Awards

• Eminent Scholar Award, Texas A&M University-Commerce(now East Texas A&M University), 2018
• President, Southwestern Psychological Association, 2012
• Provost’s Award for Research and Creativity, Texas A&M University-Commerce(now East Texas A&M University), 2010

Research Interests

• Everyday language and thought (social cognition, psycholinguistics)
• Analogical and metaphoric reasoning
• Theoretical issues with language (including AI natural language issue)
• Theory of Mind in adults
• Historical and philosophical origins of psychology
• Psychology in prehistory (evolutionary psychology)
• The use of games and gaming for psychology

Selected Publications

• Henley, T., Rossano, M., & Kardas, E. (2020). Handbook of Cognitive Archaeology: Psychology in Prehistory. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis.
• Henley, T.B. & Paul, S.T. (2019). Thorndike's Valuations Revisited. Journal of Mind and Behavior, 40, 205-212.
• Henley, T.B. (2018). Hergenhahn's Introduction to the History of Psychology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage.