Woodruff, Joseph L(eroy) (1913-1988)

Professor of psychology active in the field of parapsychology. He was born October 8, 1913, in Galesburg, Illinois. He studied at Tarkio College, Missouri (B.A., 1936) and Duke University (M.A., 1939; Ph.D., 1941). While at Duke, Woodruff, in conjunction with Joseph G. Pratt, conducted one of the most famous ESP tests, still generally considered one of the best ever carried out in parapsychology.

In 1946 he began a lengthy tenure teaching psychology at the City College of New York. For some years Woodruff conducted quantitative research in extrasensory perception, with particular reference to the relationship between certain subjective aspects of card-calling and success in calling. In 1959 he became the secretary of the board of trustees of the American Society for Psychical Research. He was also a charter member of the Parapsychological Association. He died July 23, 1988.

Sources:

Berger, Arthur S., and Joyce Berger. The Encyclopedia of Parapsychology and Psychical Research. New York: Paragon House, 1991.

Pleasants, Helene, ed. Biographical Dictionary of Parapsychology. New York: Helix Press, 1964.

Woodruff, J. L. "Some Basic Problems for Parapsychological Research." Journal of Parapsychology 12 (1948).

Woodruff, J. L., and Laura A. Dale. "ESP Function and the Psychogalvanic Response." Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research 46 (1952).

——. "The Psychokinetic Effect: Further ASPR Experiments." Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research 41 (1947).

——. "Subject and Experimenter Attitudes in Relation to ESP Scoring." Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research 44 (1950).

Woodruff, J. L., and J. G. Pratt. "Size of Stimulus Symbols in Extrasensory Perception." Journal of Parapsychology 3 (1939).