Eric Shiraev was born in 1960 in Russia. He graduated from St.Petersburg University in 1983 with a Ph.D. in psychology. From 1986 to 1990 he was on the faculty at the department of education of the same university. His first book published in Europe, Fashion, Idols, and the Self (1988), was one of the initial attempts to analyze many cultural and psychological transformations of the Russian youth. Since 1990, Eric Shiraev has lived and worked in the United States. He was a visiting professor at University of California at Los Angeles (1990-1991). From 1992 to 1993 he served as a Visiting Distinguished Scholar at Oregon State University. Since 1994 he has been working as an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and as an Associate Professor at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Virginia. He is also a Research Associate at the Institute for Russian European, and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University in Washington, DC. His research publications appear in both American and European journals. He has published two books with St.Martin's Press in New York, and his college textbook, Introduction to Cross-Cultural Psychology, was published by Allyn & Bacon. Eric’s research interests include political psychology, cross-cultural psychology, public opinion, psychology of adjustment, and ethnic prejudice.

Jerry Boyd was born in Georgia (United States). Because his father was a military officer, his family moved a great deal during his youth and it gave him an opportunity to experience many different cultures. He had the opportunity to live in Heidelberg, Germany for several years and that experience had a major impact on the person he is today. Jerry received his BA in English and his MA in English/Linguistics from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA and is currently working on a Ph. D. in Education Policy, Planning, and Administration in Higher Education at the University of Maryland in College Park. Jerry was the Coordinator of the Continuing Education ESL Program at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) in Annandale Virginia from 1993-1998. In that position he worked extensively with international students related to their studies and their visas. From 1998 to July of 2000, Jerry held an ESL faculty position in the Division of Languages and Literature at NVCC, where he taught ESL composition and oral communication. Jerry is currently the Division Chair of Languages and Literature at NVCC Annandale Campus.