Kilby, Richard W.
Date Updated
10-14-2019
Department
Psychology
Academic Rank
Professor
Year Retired from SJSU
1981
Educational Background
Yale University, 1945 Ph.D.
Yale University, 1943 MA
Whitman College, 1941 BA
Teaching Experience
San Jose State University, 1948-1981
Fulbright Professor, India, 1955-1956
University of Denver, 1946-1948
University of North Carolina, 1944-1946
Selected Publications
Have five journal reports on the cross‑cultural study of values and a general book on the subject, The Study of Human Values (University Press of America, 1993).
Have four other reports on different subjects, the first published in 1948, the last in 1994.
Files
Personal Commentary
Though I came to SJSU rather expecting I would move on to a more prestigious school, it turned out to be about the ideal place to spend my career. While giving teaching and scholarship my best, I was able to further my intellectual and aesthetic development, have time to spend with wife and daughter, travel, and in general live a full, balanced life.
Most notable event of my career was my being awarded a Fulbright professorship to India. I sought the India appointment because of its being a non‑Western culture with a great history. Was assigned to a teacher‑training college as an educational psychologist, working with a small group of advanced students and educators. While helping them, I gained much from being there in the country. Was able to become acquainted with a number of Indians and live among them, learn of their religions and philosophies, travel widely, and visit villages, temples, and museums, observe craftsmen and artists, and attend festivals. Especially valuable to me was my exposure to Buddhism and Vedanta.
Returned to India twice during later school years to lecture in universities around the country and do research on values (for subsequent comparison with American values).
I have been a long‑time student of people's values and published a number of reports on the subject and one book, The Study of Human Values.
I began my career when psychology was still suffering from the deadening effect of behaviorism. One reaction to behaviorism was emergence of the humanistic psychology movement. The movement was especially strong here in the Bay Area and I was in the midst of it; was one of the founders of The American Association of Humanistic Psychology.
Have had a number of interests and avocations. Designed and partially built our house and made furniture for it. Built canoes. Enjoy playing badminton and jogging; enjoy going to mountains and traveling abroad. Spent much time with wife at gardening. Especially like painting; it is very satisfying, very fulfilling. One is aware that something has been created, that it has come out of nowhere, so is enjoyed as gift that has been given, without the slightest egoism. One is grateful to have been given the gift of expression.
Date Completed: 10/96
Adapted from: Biographies of Retired Faculty San Jose State University 1997: A Project of the Emeritus Faculty Association of San Jose State University. San Jose, CA: The University, 1997.