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Department of Organizational Sciences & Communication

Columbian College of Arts & Sciences

Philip W. Wirtz

Philip W. Wirtz

Philip W. Wirtz

Professor of Decision Sciences & Psychology

Visiting, Emeriti & Affiliated

Contact:

Decision Sciences, Funger Hall, 2201 G Street NW Suite 415-G Washington DC 20052

Philip Wirtz is vice dean for programs and education at the George Washington University School of Business.  An expert on the analysis of complex human and socio-political structures using advanced multivariate techniques, he also teaches GWSB’s core PhD courses in statistics.

Wirtz has been a member of the GWSB faculty for 28 years.  He also served as a visiting professor at Brown University and as a statistical advisor to numerous government and private sector organizations.  He is co-creator of Adolescent Drinking Inventory (an instrument for identifying youth who are at a long-term risk for alcohol programs) and is the widely cited author of numerous journal articles and book chapters on complex statistical methodology.

Prior to joining the GWSB faculty, Wirtz was the associate director of the Social Research Group (a GW-based think tank) and executive vice president of Applied Computer Research Associates, Inc.

Wirtz holds a B.A. in psychology from the George Washington University.  He earned his master’s degree in computer science from Purdue University and his Ph.D. in applied social psychology from GW.  Before assuming the position of vice dean, Wirtz served for many years on the GW Faculty Senate executive committee, and as an elected faculty representative on the search committees for the University’s president and provost. He is the recipient of numerous awards for teaching and service, including the prestigious George Washington Award the Peter B. Vaill Award for Teaching.

Peter B. Vaill Excellence in Teaching Award, 2007

Oscar and Shoshanna Trachtenberg Prize for Service, 2004

Elected to membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, 2004

Peter B. Vaill Excellence in Teaching Award, 2005

Elected to membership in Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society of North America (George Washington University Chapter), 1987

George Washington University Award, 1986

  • Statistical Modeling and Analysis
  • Causal Modeling
  • Research Methodology
  • Structural Equation Modeling
  • Hierarchical Linear Modeling
  • Data Mining

Ph.D., The George Washington University, 1983
M.S., Purdue University, 1975
B.A., The George Washington University, 1971

Gajewski, D.A., Philbeck, J.W., Wirtz, P.W., & Chichka, D. (in press), “Angular Declination and the Dynamic Perception of Egocentric Distance,” Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, in press, accepted July 2013.

Woods, A.J., Philbeck, J.W., Wirtz, P. (in press), “Hyper-arousal decreases human visual thresholds,” PLoS ONE, in press, accepted March 2013.

Basford, T.E., Offermann, L.R., & Wirtz, P.W. (2012), “Considering the source:  The impact of leadership level on follower motivation and intent to stay,” Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 19(2), pp. 202-214.

Cohen-Mansfield, J., & Wirtz, P.W. (2011), “Predictors of entry to the nursing home: Does length of follow-up matter?”  Archives of Geriatrics and Gerontology, 53(3), pp. 309-315.

Longabaugh, R., Wirtz, P.W., Zywiak, W.H., & O’Malley, S. (2010), “Network support as a prognostic indicator of drinking outcomes: the COMBINE study,” Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 71, pp. 837-846

Longabaugh, R., Wirtz, P.W., Gulliver, S.B., & Davidson, D. (2009), Extended naltrexone and broad spectrum treatment or motivational enhancement treatment,” Psychopharmacology,206(3), pp. 367-376.

Cohen-Mansfield, J. & Wirtz, P.W. (2009), “The reasons for nursing home entry in an adult day care population: caregiver reports versus regression results,” Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 22(4), pp. 274-281.

Stein, L.A.R. Minugh, P. A., Longabaugh, R., Wirtz, P., Baird, J., Nirenberg, T.D., Woolard, R.F., Carty, K., Lee, C., Mello, M., Becker, B., & Gogineni, A. (2009), “Readiness to change as a mediator of the effect of a brief Motivational Intervention on post-treatment alcohol related consequences of injured Emergency Department hazardous drinkers,” Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 23(2), 185-195.

Wirtz, P.W. (2007), “Advances in causal chain development and testing in alcohol research:  Mediation, suppression, moderation, mediated moderation and moderated mediation,” Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 31(S3), pp. 57S-63S.

Cohen-Mansfield, J., & Wirtz, P.W. (2007), “Characteristics of Adult Day-Care Participants Who Enter a Nursing Home,” Psychology and Aging, 22(2), pp. 354-360.

Davidson, D., Gulliver, S.B., Longabaugh, R., Wirtz, P.W., & Swift, R. (2006), “Building better CBT: Is broad spectrum treatment more effective than motivational enhancement therapy for alcohol dependent patients treated with naltrexone?” Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 68(2), pp. 238-247.

Wirtz, P.W. (2005), “Modeling developmental change over time: Latent growth analysis,” in D. Teti (ed.), Handbook of Research Methods in Developmental Psychology, Malden, Mass.: Blackwell.

  • Statistical Modeling and Analysis
  • Advanced Statistical Modeling and Analysis
  • Exploratory and Multivariate Data Analysis
  • Special Topics in Research Methods
  • Judgment, Uncertainty, and Decisions
  • Data Analysis and Decisions
  • Financial Modeling and Econometrics
  • Mathematics and Statistics for Management
  • First-Year Development Course

Methodological Advisor

COMBINE Study, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Consultant to Principal Investigator Richard Longabaugh at the Brown University site.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:  Methodological Advisor for “Project MATCH” nationwide multi-site clinical treatment matching study

United States General Accounting Office:  Methodological Advisor and Instructor for senior executive design/data analysis seminars

Study Panel Membership

ALCP 1/AA3:  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Special Emphasis Panel:  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (July 9, 1996)

Scientific Review and Evaluation Board (Large Grants):  Veterans Administration

Scientific Review and Evaluation Board (Research Career Scientist):  Veterans Administration

Special Review Panel on VA Cooperative Studies in Health Services:  Evaluation of a Computer-Assisted Neuropsychological Screening Battery (April 22, 1996 and October 29, 1996)

Special Review Committee on Alcohol Research Center Grants:  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Reviewer:  Refereed Journals

  • Academy of Management Learning & Education
  • Addiction
  • Alcohol Health & Research World
  • Journal of the Addictions
  • Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (Editorial Board: 1988-1990)
  • Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
  • Journal of Studies on Alcohol
  • Psychological Bulletin
  • Journal of Mathematical Psychology

Advisory Panels

Scientific Advisory Council, Oklahoma Center for Alcohol & Drug Related Studies

Reviewer:  Refereed Professional Books

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.:  Applied Multivariate Analysis