Vicki Abt, an American sociologist, died on February 1, 2026, at age 83.
She was a professor of sociology and American studies at Pennsylvania State University’s Abington College. Born Isleen Vicki Abt on December 9, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, she was raised in Franklin Square, New York.
She earned a BA in social science from Hofstra University in 1963, later received a master’s degree from Penn State and a PhD from Temple University. Her research focused on commercial gambling and talk shows and their effects on American society, and she was a critic of both.
Isleen Vicki Abt (December 9, 1942 – February 1, 2026) was an American sociologist. She was a professor of sociology and American studies at Pennsylvania State University’s Abington College. Her research primarily explored commerical gambling and talk shows, and their impacts on American society; Abt was a critic of both institutions.