John Palmer received a PhD in psychology from the University of Texas. He has worked at the Rhine Research Center (formerly Foundation of Research on the Nature of Man) almost continuously since 1984, serving as director of research and director of education. He was editor of the Journal of Parapsychology from 1994 to 2017, and president of the Parapsychological Association in 1979 and again in 1982. His research has focused primarily on psychological factors associated with ESP performance in the laboratory.