Anthony R. Pratkanis is a researcher, author, consultant, media commentator and a professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

He is the author of several books, and has published research papers in scientific journals on the topics of social influence, fraud, terrorist and dictator propaganda, marketing and consumer behavior, and subliminal persuasion.

In 2002 he won a Telly award for his work as a scientific consultant on the AARP video Weapons of Fraud, aimed at reducing the number of senior Americans becoming victims of scams.

[1][12] He has worked with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA (formerly NASD), and law enforcement agencies on strategies for preventing economic Fraud crimes.

[1][2][13][14] The United States Military has enlisted Pratkanis to assist with countering Propaganda of terrorists and dictators, and reducing conflict in war zones.

[15] He uses magic tricks such as cold reading and levitation in his course, The Social Psychology of Flim Flam, as an effective way to teach critical thinking; proving to his students that even their college professor can fool them.