EDUCATION: TAMIU, UTSA professors release new social behavioral book
By Alyssa Medina
Bridge Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, March 26, 2025
One of TAMIU’s leaders in the psychology program joined forces with a UTSA professor to write a new book titled “Social Behavioral Statistics.”
Through this collaboration, Texas A&M International University Regents Professor Roberto Heredia and University of Texas–San Antonio Professor and Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice Chair Richard Hartley united their fascination in the science of social behavior, statistics and research, along with their desire to make it more accessible to students.
Regents Professor Roberto Heredia looks through his new publication titled “Social Behavioral Statistics” recently in his office.
“We wanted to make a student-friendly book that’s going to simplify everything in simple language and explain clear concepts to students, and it does not require high levels of mathematics,” Heredia said.
Heredia discusses how the book incorporates real-world examples and simple concepts that students can familiarize themselves with and utilize a free software called Jamovi, an open source option for students to experience a hands-on and user-friendly approach to learning statistics at a simple level.
“Another very good aspect is we include the scientific method and hypothesis testing, as well as clear examples on how to use the hypothesis testing process,” Heredia said.
Hartley described how the book can benefit students taking statistics and research courses.
“For social behavioral sciences, students need to understand why they might need to use this specific statistical test,” Hartley said. “What can this statistical test do, and what data types are these tests appropriate for? It is basically a kind of ‘how to choose the correct test to answer the question they want to answer with the data they’ve collected.’”
Regents Professor Roberto Heredia looks through his new publication titled “Social Behavioral Statistics” recently in his office.
From 2005 to 2008, Hartley served as a TAMIU professor; during that time, he built a close bond with Heredia over statistics, despite their different disciplines.
“We would get together from time-to-time to talk about writing a statistics book and finally put our heads together and a compilation of chapters where we try to come from a perspective that statistics doesn’t have to be difficult and students shouldn’t be scared from it,” Hartley said.
