Blackwell Reference Online

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Charles Richard “Rick” Snyder (1944–2006) was the Wright Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Kansas, and is probably best known for his work on hope. Snyder is internationally known for research in clinical, social, personality health, and positive psychology. His career in psychology began in his studies at Southern Methodist University his subsequent doctoral training in clinical psychology at Vanderbilt University and his post-doctoral training at the Langley Porter Institute. He spent the remainder of his career as a psychology professor at the University of Kansas, during which he produced many important contributions to the field of positive psychology. Some of his most relevant publications include Positive Psychology (the first textbook in this area), The Handbook of Positive Psychology, Positive Psychological Assessment, Uniqueness: The Human Pursuit of Difference , and The Psychology of Hope . In addition to his theories on hope and forgiveness, Snyder also developed theories on how people react to personal feedback, the human need for uniqueness, and the ubiquitous drive to excuse and forgive transgressions. Snyder, through his publications and his 12-year editorship with the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology , demonstrated how studying psychology at the social-clinical interface promotes understanding of human functioning. ... log in or subscribe to read full text