Anderson was born on October 16, 1955, in Greensboro, North Carolina, to Rev. Dr. Charles W. and Rev. Dr. Lois J. Anderson.^{[citation needed]} After graduating from North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C., Anderson earned master's and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.^[4] He received additional clinical and research training at the schools of medicine at Brown and Duke Universities, including postdoctoral fellowships in psychophysiology and aging at Duke. Anderson also received training in Mindfulness Facilitation from the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center^[5] at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California at Los Angeles. In addition, Anderson was trained as a Certified Executive and Professional Coach through the College of Executive Coaching.^[6]

In 1998, Anderson was elected president of the Society of Behavioral Medicine,^[7] becoming the first African-American to hold the position.^{[citation needed]} He was the founding associate director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he was in charge of social and behavioral science,^{[citation needed]} and was the first director of the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). While at NIH, Anderson facilitated behavioral and social sciences research across all of its Institutes and Centers.^{[citation needed]} Research in the behavioral and social research was under his purview in areas such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, children's health, mental health, minority health, aging, and oral health. His special focus at NIH was in sociocultural determinants of health, and in advancing an integrated, trans-disciplinary, bio-psycho-social approach to health science, health promotion, prevention, and health care.^{[citation needed]}

Anderson was also a tenured associate professor of medical psychology and of psychology at Duke University and as a professor of health and social behavior at the Harvard School of Public Health.^[8]

In 2012, he was elected to the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine), which is part of the National Academy of Sciences.^[9]

Anderson published dozens of scientific articles and authored and edited several books.^{[citation needed]} He served as editor-in-chief of the two-volume Encyclopedia of Health and Behavior (2003)^[10] and as co-editor of Interdisciplinary research: Case studies from health and social science (2008).^{[citation needed]} For over 12 years he was editor-in-chief of American Psychologist, the APA's flagship journal.^{[citation needed]}

With his wife, P. Elizabeth Anderson, he wrote a health book for the general public, Emotional Longevity: What Really Determines How Long You Live,^[11] which was released in 2003.

Anderson retired from the APA on July 14, 2015, following an APA authorized independent review report relating to ethics guidelines conducted by former assistant U.S. Attorney David H. Hoffman. Prior to the report's release, Anderson had informed the board that he would be retiring at the end of 2016.^[12]

Anderson died following complications from a knee surgery on March 1, 2024, at the age of 68.^[13]

• Editor in chief of "The Encyclopedia of Health and Behavior"^[14] and APA's flagship journal, "American Psychologist."^[15]
• Fellow of APA, the American Association for the Advancement of Science,^[16] the Association for Psychological Science,^[17] the Society of Behavioral Medicine^[18] and the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research.^[19]
• Past president of the Society of Behavioral Medicine^[20]
• Past president, Steven Spielberg's Starlight Foundation Board of Directors.^[21]
• Member, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. - Washington (DC) Alumni Chapter, Sp. 12

• Elected Member, Institute of Medicine, National Academies of Science
• Honorary Doctorate Degrees: Chicago School of Professional Psychology; University of Maryland University College, North Carolina Central University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• American Association of Applied and Prevention Psychology, Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Psychological Study of Diversity, 1996;^[22]
• Third National Multicultural Conference and Summit, Dalmas Taylor Award, 2003;^[23]
• Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, Career Service Award, 2003;^[24]
• Lonnie Mitchell Annual Conference on Race, Ethnicity, and Substance Abuse, Award for Enduring Contributions in the Interest of Science, 2004.^[23]

• Official website