Alan C. Elms: Pioneering Psychobiographer

article

Joseph G. Ponterotto

Abstract

This article is a tribute to the life and work of Alan C. Elms, a leading psychobiographer of the last half-century. His reach as a scholar was wide, profiling pioneering psychological theorists, presidents and politicians, fantasy and science fiction writers, and charismatic personalities such as Elvis Presley.

Keywords:

Alan C. Elms, Elvis Presley, ethics, experimental social psychology, memorial, methodology, psychobiography, psychohistory

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About the author

Joseph G. Ponterotto

Joseph G. Ponterotto, PhD, is a Professor of Counseling Psychology in Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education, Lincoln Center Campus. His primary research interests are in psychobiography, multicultural psychology, and research methods. He has published book length psychobiographies on chess champion Bobby Fischer (2012) and John F. Kennedy, Jr. (2019), both published by Charles C Thomas, Publisher. His latest book is The Psychobiographer’s Handbook: A Practical Guide to Research and Ethics (2025, American Psychological Association). Email address:

How to cite this article

Ponterotto, J. G., & Simonton, D. K. (2026). Alan C. Elms: Pioneering psychobiographer [Memorial]. Clio’s Psyche, 33(2), 257-259.

https://doi.org/10.70763/257deb66f5366aab34a23d5fd0571da4