Michael Apter

{{Short description|British psychologist (1939-)}}

{{BLP primary sources|date=January 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{Infobox scientist

| image = Michael J. Apter.jpg

| caption = Apter in 2017

| birth_name = Michael John Apter

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1939}}

| birth_place = Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England

| death_date =

| death_place =

| doctoral_advisor =

| field = Psychology, Artificial Intelligence

| work_institution = {{unbulleted list | Cardiff University, Purdue University, University Chicago, Yale University, University of Toulouse, Georgetown University, Northwestern University}}

| alma_mater = {{ublist |Clifton College | |Bristol University}}

| known_for = Research in motivation, personality, reversal theory

}}

Michael J. Apter (born 1939) is a British psychologist who was born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham and grew up in Bristol.{{cite book|last1=Chapman|first1=A.J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KzA6s7KZo-MC|title=Biographical Dictionary of Psychology|last2=Conroy|first2=W.|last3=Sheehy|first3=N.|date=2002|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415285612|location=|pages=18|access-date=2020-12-30}} He was educated at Clifton College (1965) and at Bristol University where he gained both his Bachelor of Science degree and his Doctorate in Psychology in 1965,{{cite web |last1=Apter |first1=Michael |title=Curriculum Vitae |url=http://michaelapter.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Curriculum-Vitae-2016.pdf}} having also spent a doctoral year at Princeton University. He taught for twenty years at Cardiff University in Wales and has since held invited positions at Purdue University, the University of Chicago, Yale University, University of Toulouse,{{cite web |title=Michael J. Apter |url=https://oneworld-publications.com/michael-j-apter.html |website=Oneworld Publications |access-date=December 18, 2020}} and Georgetown University.{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Human Resources|url=https://hr.georgetown.edu/apter/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-11-15|website=Georgetown University}} He also taught at Northwestern University where he received a teaching award.{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=About|url=http://michaelapter.net/about-mjapter/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-12-03|website=Michael Apter}} He has held visiting positions at several additional universities and is a chartered psychologist and fellow of the British Psychological Society.{{cite web|last1=Perks|first1=Julie|date=|title=Oral History Project|url=https://archives.bps.org.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=AUD%2F002%2FOHP+58|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-06|website=History of Psychology Centre|publisher=The British Psychological Society}}

Apter's work has been mainly in motivation and phenomenology, particularly through the lens of reversal theory.{{Cite web|url=https://theabp.org.uk/apterframework/|title=The Apter Framework: The Dynamics of Motivation and Emotion – ABP}}{{Cite journal|url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0092-6566%2884%2990013-8|title=Reversal theory and personality: A review|first=Michael J|last=Apter|date=1 September 1984|journal=Journal of Research in Personality|volume=18|issue=3|pages=265–288|via=ScienceDirect|doi=10.1016/0092-6566(84)90013-8|url-access=subscription}}{{Cite web|url=http://michaelapter.net/|title=Michael Apter – REVERSAL THEORY: The Dynamics of Motivation, Emotion and Personality}}