William Ickes is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Arlington. His 20-year program of research on empathic accuracy, which resulted in three international research awards, is summarized in his 2003 book Everyday Mind Reading. His 30-year program of research on personality influences on initial interactions is the topic of the present book. His more than 160 publications include books, book chapters, journal articles, commentaries, and reviews.

• 1. Some People, Other People ; 2. Strangers in a Strange Lab ; 3. Sex ; 4. Race / Ethnicity ; 5. Birth Order ; 6. Physical Attractiveness ; 7. The Taijitu of Androgyny ; 8. The Big Five ; 9. Shyness and Self-Consciousness ; 10. Self-Monitoring ; 11. How It All Adds Up: An Integration

"This delightful book uses science to yield fascinating and important insights about human behavior and the way people view each other. Ickes writes with clarity, style, and humor." --David Funder, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California"Strangers in a Strange Lab is the most authoritative, comprehensive, and original guide ever written on how our basic characteristics -- from birth order and personality to gender and race -- can have a profound effect on how we interact with others. It's an essential read for anyone interested in the science of getting along." --Sam Gosling, Professor of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin and author of Snoop:What Your Stuff Says About You"Bill Ickes is one of social psychology's wisest and bravest practitioners. He pioneered the careful observation of social encounters in naturalistic settings, when such research was often criticized for being 'unscientific.' Today that research is considered the gold standard. In Strangers in a Strange Lab, he displays his trademark ability to combine charm, intelligence, and a thorough knowledge of research in order to tell a thoroughly fascinating story." --Elaine Hatfield, Professor of Psychology, University of Hawai'i"As well as being a joy to read, this book provides an exceptionally well-structured, coherent and compelling account , not just of the outcomes of Ickes' research, but importantly, of the research process itself....Overall, the book is an outstanding example of 'science writing' at its best." --Relationship Research News"Strangers in a Strange Lab provides a neat balance of research and popular psychology; it ends up being highly accessible and appealing to a wide audience. Ickes holds the reader's hand through the various methods and techniques, ensuring that even the most inexperienced readers will clearly comprehend the slightest details of the process. As such, Strangers in a Strange Lab could easily find a home in an undergraduate seminar in personalitypsychology, providing a lighthearted change of pace to the more traditional tools of instruction. Students should appreciate both the novel insights and their ease of mental digestion... A collection of interesting, funfacts about social interaction." --PsycCRITIQUES