We dedicate this book to three now-deceased “giants” in the history and development of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making (SJDM). Each of these individuals contributed his time, effort, and even money to help the society succeed in the formative years. Without their collective efforts, SJDM would not exist today. Had they not become involved when they did, there would have been no annual JDM meetings, no forums to discuss questions such as “What is new in JDM?” no SJDM publication outlet, and ultimately no Emerging Perspectives book. We owe it all to these three.

The first is Charles Gettys (University of Oklahoma), who, along with James Shanteau, organized the first few JDM meetings. Chuck's view of what a good meeting should be established precedents that are reflected in JDM meetings today. For example, he always wanted one or two major figures from outside JDM to speak at every meeting. He also emphasized that sessions should provide extensive opportunities for feedback and discussion. Chuck's name will always be tied to the founding of JDM.

The second is N. John Castellan (Indiana University), who was not only an early supporter of the meetings, but also the “organizational brains” behind the group. He edited the Newsletter for many years, helped organize several of the meetings, and was the first secretary/treasurer. John's most lasting contribution may be the establishment of SJDM as a legal entity; for example, he wrote the original bylaws and drew up the incorporation papers.