Thomas W. Draper: Mormon Scholar

Thomas William Draper is a professor of human development in the Department of Family Life at Brigham Young University. He directed BYU’s graduate program in Marriage, Family, and Human Development. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Draper earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in child development and family relations from Brigham Young University in 1971 and 1973 respectively. He then received his PhD in developmental psychology from Emory University in 1976. He joined the faculty at BYU in 1982.

In addition to his work at BYU, he has also taught at the Atlanta University Center and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He did test construction and research for Educational Testing Service, of Princeton, New Jersey.

He specializes in family methodological issues and biological development. His research is focused on dyadic methodologies, social science paradoxes, social science insufficiencies, extreme longevity, and comparative ways of knowing in different academic disciplines. He has published on family economics and poverty, the definition of marital dyads, and the biological precursors of personality.