Originally published in 1979, the primary emphasis in Social and Psychological Research in Community Settings is on research-oriented interventions. The focus of the book is two-fold: to showcase model research studies of change in community contexts and to present the process of carrying out such studies - the "behind the scenes" material that is usually omitted from formal research reports. It was hoped that the book would serve as a catalyst to rigorous thinking about community psychology and as a resource book to psychologists and social scientists who were willing to take the plunge into community work. Today it can be read in its historical context.

Ricardo F. Muñoz, Ph.D., is Professor of Psychology Emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Palo Alto University. His B.A. is from Stanford University and his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. Muñoz has served on three U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Committees on prevention of mental disorders. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and was inducted as Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science "for distinguished contributions towards the prevention of major depression and the development of Internet interventions to improve mental health worldwide."

Lonnie R. Snowden (d. 2025) was a Professor of the Graduate School, Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focused on disparities in mental health care access and quality. He systematically built a research agenda on the financing and organization of mental health services that informed current health policy reform efforts.

James G. Kelly (1929-2020) was at the time of original publication, professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Oregon. Identified with the development of community psychology, he had developed research and theoretical contributions in ecological psychology.