Norman Frank Dixon MBE, Fellow of the British Psychological Society^[1] (1922–2013)^[2] was a British psychologist most noted for his 1976 book On the Psychology of Military Incompetence.^[3]

During World War II, Dixon served as a lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers in North West Europe and received the MBE.^[1][3]

After ten years' service, he began university studies in 1950 and earned a first-class degree in psychology, followed by Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Science degrees.^[3] His research into subliminal perception and preconscious processing was influential.^[4][5] He taught psychology at University College London, where he became professor emeritus on his retirement.^[6]

In 1974, Dixon was awarded the Carpenter Medal by the University of London for his doctoral thesis. The University of Lund awarded him an honorary doctorate.^[3]

• Dixon, Norman F. (1971). Subliminal perception; the nature of a controversy. London: McGraw-Hill.
• Dixon, Norman F. (1976). On the psychology of military incompetence. New York: Basic Books.^[7][8][9]
• Dixon, Norman F. (1981). Preconscious processing. Chichester: Wiley
• Dixon, Norman F. (1987). Our Own Worst Enemy. Jonathan Cape.

• Military incompetence