Boring, Edwin G.

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From 1924 to 1949, when a director of the psychological laboratory at [[Harvard University]], Boring's goal was to free psychology from its status as a subsection of the Department of Philosophy. Boring was successful and established an independent  Department of Psychology in 1934. He emphasized the use of the experimental method to investigate psychological questions rather than the tools of philosophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todayinsci.com/10/10_23.htm
 
From 1924 to 1949, when a director of the psychological laboratory at [[Harvard University]], Boring's goal was to free psychology from its status as a subsection of the Department of Philosophy. Boring was successful and established an independent  Department of Psychology in 1934. He emphasized the use of the experimental method to investigate psychological questions rather than the tools of philosophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todayinsci.com/10/10_23.htm
 
|title=Today in Science History|publisher=|accessdate=2006-12-29 }}</ref>
 
|title=Today in Science History|publisher=|accessdate=2006-12-29 }}</ref>
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 +
It was Edwin Boring who introduced psychologists to [[Geothe]] and Herder's concept of '''Zeitgeist''' and used it in an organizing theme for his discussions of creativity. ''Great man'' approaches to [[history]], '''scientific change''', and '''historiography'''.
 +
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Edwin Boring's work on the nature of scientific activity was wide ranging and included papers with ''Alice Bryant'' on the status and career difficulties of women in psychology that were published in the 1940s.
 +
 +
Edwin Boring's paper ''Physical Dimensions of Consciousness'' (New York, 1933) moved beyond the dualism of [[Edward Titchener]] and bridged '''structuralism''' and [[behaviorism]] using '''monistic physicalism''' as a guiding priciple. This theory was conceptually related to the '''operationism''' of ''Percy Bridgman'', which Edwin Boring had not yet read.
  
 
= Legacy =
 
= Legacy =
Edwin G. Boring is beat known as the foremost historian of the discipline through his '''History of Experimental Psychology''' (New York, 1929) and its 1950 revision.
+
Edwin G. Boring is best known as the foremost historian of the discipline through his '''History of Experimental Psychology''' (New York, 1929) and its 1950 revision. Although heavily criticized for presenting [[Wilhelm Wundt]]through ''Titchenerian'' lens, Boring 's ''History'' was thge classic in the field. Used by nearly all graduate students through the 1960s, it shaped the way in which psychologists viewed their emergence as a science and helped define the scope and goals of [[Experimental Psychology]]. In addition to the text, Edwin Boring published on the history of psychology throughout his career. Many of these widely read papers dealtwith the psychology of science, with social and cultural factors in scientific development, with the history of method, and with problems of scientific communication.
 
 
==Books==
 
  
Boring, E. G. (1942). ''Sensation and perception in the history of experimental psychology.'' New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
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Of Edwin Boring's many students at Harvard, the most influential of all was [[S. S. Stevens]]. Together, they promoted '''operationism''' and thereby changed the vocabulary of American psychology. [[Stevens]] and other students collaborated with Boring on studies of [[sensation]] and [[perception]], and Borng's best known series of experiments dealt with the [[moon illusion]]. Working with A. H. Holway, Boring showed that the illusion depends on the position of the eyes in the skull.
  
Boring, E. G. (1950). ''A history of experimental psychology'' (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
+
Boring's heavy administrative responsibilities left him little time for experimental work; nevertheless, he managed to write a summary of the field, ''Sensation and Perception in the History of Experimental Psychology'' (New York, 1942).
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
==References==
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==References==
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==Books and References==
  
 
*Boring, E.G. 1977 (original 1950). ''A history of experimental psychology''. Irvington Pub. ISBN 0891979336
 
*Boring, E.G. 1977 (original 1950). ''A history of experimental psychology''. Irvington Pub. ISBN 0891979336
 +
*Boring, E. G. (1950). ''A history of experimental psychology'' (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
 +
*Boring, E. G. (1942). ''Sensation and perception in the history of experimental psychology.'' New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
 
*Boring, E.G. 1927. "Edward Bradfors Titchener" in ''American Journal of Psychology''. No.38. - P.489-506.
 
*Boring, E.G. 1927. "Edward Bradfors Titchener" in ''American Journal of Psychology''. No.38. - P.489-506.
 
*Brennan, J.F. 1982. ''History and systems of psychology''. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
 
*Brennan, J.F. 1982. ''History and systems of psychology''. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Revision as of 00:57, 15 November 2007

Edwin Garrigues Boring (October 23, 1886-July 1, 1968) was an American experimental psychologist and one of the most influential leaders of the discipline from the 1920s to the 1960s. Boring later became one of the first historians of psychology.

Life

Edwin Garrigues Boring was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1886. He grew up in a matriarchal Quaker household. In childhood, Edwin was fascinated by electricity and decided to study electrical engineering at Cornell University, where he received a master's degree in electical engineering, in 1908. For one of the few electives in the engineering program, he selected Edward B. Titchener's psychology course. Boring found Titchener's lectures "magic" was motivated by Titchener's praise for his examination paper. After a year of factory work at Bethlehem Steel and another year teaching science in Moravian Church school, Edwin Boring returned to Cornell, in 1910 for an A. M. degree to augment his teaching credentials. Boring was soon drawn to psychology by the course of Madison Bentley. Edwin Boring became a devoted student and lifelong admirer of Titchener and a member of Titchener's laboratory group, as was his future wife, Lucy Day. Edwin Boring's dissertation topic, assigned to him by Titchener, was on sensory processes in the alimentary tract, but he also carried out work on schizophrenia and other psychological problems during his graduate student career.

After receiving a doctorate in [[1914], Edwin Boring spent four additional years as an instructor at Cornell. In 1918, Robert M. Yerkes asked Boring to assist with the US Army's testing work, and Boring became chief psychological examiner at Camp Upton, Long Island. Later, Boring worked directly under Yerkes and played a major role in preparing the massive report on the Army testing. Boring remained cautious about the interpretation of intelligence tests for the rest of his career.

In 1919, G. Stanley Hall offered Boring the position of professor of Experimental Psychology at Clark University. Three years later, in the midst of political controversies at Clark, he was invited to Harvard University. He taught at Harvard from 1922 until his retirement in 1957. He became the director of the psychological laboratory from 1924 to 1949 and the chair of the psychology department, which was not formally separated from the philosophy department until 1934. In 1945, under Boring's direction, the divisions experimental and physiological psychology were separated from those of social and clinical psychology. Edwin Boring was the president of the American Psychological Association in 1928.[1] and was named Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, in 1956.

Work

From 1924 to 1949, when a director of the psychological laboratory at Harvard University, Boring's goal was to free psychology from its status as a subsection of the Department of Philosophy. Boring was successful and established an independent Department of Psychology in 1934. He emphasized the use of the experimental method to investigate psychological questions rather than the tools of philosophy.[2]

It was Edwin Boring who introduced psychologists to Geothe and Herder's concept of Zeitgeist and used it in an organizing theme for his discussions of creativity. Great man approaches to history, scientific change, and historiography.

Edwin Boring's work on the nature of scientific activity was wide ranging and included papers with Alice Bryant on the status and career difficulties of women in psychology that were published in the 1940s.

Edwin Boring's paper Physical Dimensions of Consciousness (New York, 1933) moved beyond the dualism of Edward Titchener and bridged structuralism and behaviorism using monistic physicalism as a guiding priciple. This theory was conceptually related to the operationism of Percy Bridgman, which Edwin Boring had not yet read.

Legacy

Edwin G. Boring is best known as the foremost historian of the discipline through his History of Experimental Psychology (New York, 1929) and its 1950 revision. Although heavily criticized for presenting Wilhelm Wundtthrough Titchenerian lens, Boring 's History was thge classic in the field. Used by nearly all graduate students through the 1960s, it shaped the way in which psychologists viewed their emergence as a science and helped define the scope and goals of Experimental Psychology. In addition to the text, Edwin Boring published on the history of psychology throughout his career. Many of these widely read papers dealtwith the psychology of science, with social and cultural factors in scientific development, with the history of method, and with problems of scientific communication.

Of Edwin Boring's many students at Harvard, the most influential of all was S. S. Stevens. Together, they promoted operationism and thereby changed the vocabulary of American psychology. Stevens and other students collaborated with Boring on studies of sensation and perception, and Borng's best known series of experiments dealt with the moon illusion. Working with A. H. Holway, Boring showed that the illusion depends on the position of the eyes in the skull.

Boring's heavy administrative responsibilities left him little time for experimental work; nevertheless, he managed to write a summary of the field, Sensation and Perception in the History of Experimental Psychology (New York, 1942).

Notes

  1. APA Past Presidents. Retrieved 2006-12-29.
  2. Today in Science History. Retrieved 2006-12-29.


Books and References

  • Boring, E.G. 1977 (original 1950). A history of experimental psychology. Irvington Pub. ISBN 0891979336
  • Boring, E. G. (1950). A history of experimental psychology (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Boring, E. G. (1942). Sensation and perception in the history of experimental psychology. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
  • Boring, E.G. 1927. "Edward Bradfors Titchener" in American Journal of Psychology. No.38. - P.489-506.
  • Brennan, J.F. 1982. History and systems of psychology. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
  • Hindeland, M.J. 1971. "Edward Bradford Titchener: A pioneer in perception" in Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences. No.8 - P.168-180.
  • Titchener, E.B. 1899. "Structural and functional psychology" in Philosophical Review. No.8 - P.290-299.
  • Titchener, E.B. 1925. "Experimental psychology: A retrospect" in American Journal of Psychology. No.36 P.313-323.
  • Titchener, E.B. 1972 (original 1929). Systematic psychology: Prolegomena. Cornell Univ+press. ISBN 0801491320
  • Woodworth, R.S. 1906. "Imageless thought". In The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods. No.3 - 701-708.

External links

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