What does this research mean for the field?

Bernard Spilka was a significant figure in the psychology of religion and a strong advocate for the scientific method in psychology. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To honor Bernard Spilka's life and contributions to the field of psychology.

February 26, 2026

Bernard Spilka (1926–2025).

Key Points

To honor Bernard Spilka's life and contributions to the field of psychology.
Detailed life overview focusing on education and career milestones.
Noted involvement in psychological associations and key publications.
Highlighted advocacy for scientific rigor in psychological research.
Spilka's academic journey included a BA, MA, and PhD in psychology.
He contributed significantly to the psychology of religion, co-authoring a foundational text.
Spilka was known for his critical stance on vague theories in psychology.

Abstract

Bernard "Bernie" Spilka died on Friday, May 23, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. Bernie was born Thursday, August 12, 1926, in New York City, New York. After World War II service in the Army Air Force Medical Corps, he attained a psychology BA (1949) from New York University. Graduate education at Purdue University included both MA (1950; group influence on individual judgment) and PhD (1952; delayed speech feedback) degrees. In 1953, while working for the U.S. Air Force Human Resources Research Center, Combat Crew Laboratory at Randolph Field, Texas, he met and married Ellen Scharlack. He served as president for many psychological associations and in 1985, along with Ralph W. Hood, Jr., and Richard L. Gorsuch summarized the re-emergent psychology of religion. With rotating authorship, that text remains in print today. He was a fierce advocate for the scientific method and never hesitated to chastise "fuzzy" conceptualizations, theories, methods, or overgeneralizations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

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Bernard Spilka (1926–2025).

Key Points

Abstract

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