Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Hermann Ebbinghaus" - New World

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Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850–1909) was a German philosopher and psychologist who pioneered numerous experimental studies of memory, discovered the forgetting curve, and introduced fundamental scientific techniques to the field of psychology. Establishing numerous laboratories throughout Central Europe for purposes of psychological research and study, Ebbinghaus is often credited with the advancement and promotion of the psychological field in its earliest years.

Life

Hermann Ebbinghaus was born on January 24, 1850 to a family of Lutheran merchants in Barmen, West Germany. At the age of 17, Ebbinghaus entered the University of Bonn where he studied aspects of philosophy, history and psychology. In 1870 his studies were interrupted by the Franco-Prussian War in which he enlisted as a member of the Prussian army. Following the war Ebbinghaus would continue his formal education at the universities of Halle and Berlin, eventually earning a Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Bonn in 1873. After receiving his degree, Ebbinghaus studied independently throughout parts of Berlin, France and England, conducting his first set of memory experiments in 1878.

Ebbinghaus would return to Germany to serve as a lecturer at the University of Berlin, conducting his second set of memory experiments in 1883. Known for his candid humor and personal charm, Ebbinghaus became a popular professor, highly regarded by University faculty and dearly loved by students. In 1886, he established and opened an experimental psychology laboratory at the University of Berlin for purposes of psychological research and study. In the years following Ebbinghaus co-founded the Zeitschrift fur Psychology und Physiologie der Sinnersorgane or the Journal of Psychology and Physiology of the Sense Organs, a literary establishment credited with the international advancement of psychological study. From 1894 to 1905 Ebbinghaus served as a professor at the University of Breslau, (now Wrocław, Poland) where he founded a second psychology laboratory at Breslau in 1894. From 1905 until 1908 he served as a professor for the Univerity of Halle. In 1909 Ebbinghaus would succumb to pneumonia, dying in Breslau at the age of 59.

Work

In 1885 while at the University of Berlin, Ebbinghaus published his groundbreaking Über das Gedchtnis, or "On Memory". This publication was later translated into the English language as Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. Within this work, Ebbinghaus set out to counter the assertion made by German physiologist Wilhelm Wundt who claimed human memory to be incapable of experimental study. Influenced by the work of German psychophysicist Gustav Fechner, Ebbinghaus incorporated mathematical analysis into studies of sensation and perception to

in which he described experiments he conducted on himself to describe the process of forgetting. In 1897 Ebbinghaus formulated and developed a children’s intelligence test.

Legacy

His contributions are multiple. His famous work on memory initiated experimental psychology. He pioneered precise experimental techniques used in the research on learning. In addition to his research and lecturing, he established two psychology laboratories in Germany, and founded a major psychology journal.

Major Publications

Ebbinghaus, H. (1885/1962). Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. New York: Dover, 1964.
Ebbinghaus, H. (1902). Grundzüge der Psychologie. 1. Band, 2. Theil. Leipzig: Veit & Co, 1902.
Ebbinghaus, H. (1908/1973). Psychology: An Elementary Textbook. New York: Arno Press, 1908.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Indiana University. Department of Human Intelligence: Historical Influences, Current Controversies, Teaching Resources. Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850-1909) German Experimental Psychologist Retrieved January 28, 2007.
McGraw-Hill Companies © 2007. Biography: Hermann Ebbinghaus. Retrieved January 28, 2007.
Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology. Ebbinghaus, Hermann (1850-1909). Second Edition. Gale Group, 2001. Retrieved January 28, 2007.

External Links

Credits

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@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 Hermann Ebbinghaus was born on January 24, 1850 to a family of Lutheran merchants in Barmen, [[West Germany]]. At the age of 17, Ebbinghaus entered the [[University of Bonn]] where he studied aspects of [[philosophy]], [[history]] and [[psychology]]. In 1870 his studies were interrupted by the [[Franco-Prussian War]] in which he enlisted as a member of the [[Prussia]]n army. Following the war Ebbinghaus would continue his formal education at the universities of [[Halle]] and [[Berlin]], eventually earning a Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Bonn in 1873. After receiving his degree, Ebbinghaus studied independently throughout parts of Berlin, [[France]] and [[England]], conducting his first set of [[memory experiments]] in 1878.
-Ebbinghaus would return to [[Germany]] to serve as a lecturer at the University of Berlin, conducting his second set of memory experiments in 1883. In 1886, while a member of the University faculty, Ebbinghaus established and opened an experimental psychology [[laboratory]] for purposes of psychological research and study. In the years following Ebbinghaus co-founded the [[Zeitschrift fur Psychology und Physiologie der Sinnersorgane]] or the [[Journal of Psychology and Physiology of the Sense Organs]], a literary establishment credited with the international advancement of psychological study. From 1894 to 1905 Ebbinghaus served as a professor at the [[University of Breslau]], (now [[Wrocław]], [[Poland]]) where he founded a second psychology laboratory at Breslau in 1894. From 1905 until 1908 he served as a professor for the [[Univerity of Halle]]. In 1909 Ebbinghaus would succumb to [[pneumonia]], dying at the age of 59 in Breslau.
+Ebbinghaus would return to [[Germany]] to serve as a lecturer at the University of Berlin, conducting his second set of memory experiments in 1883. Known for his candid humor and personal charm, Ebbinghaus became a popular professor, highly regarded by University faculty and dearly loved by students. In 1886, he established and opened an experimental psychology [[laboratory]] at the University of Berlin for purposes of psychological research and study. In the years following Ebbinghaus co-founded the [[Zeitschrift fur Psychology und Physiologie der Sinnersorgane]] or the [[Journal of Psychology and Physiology of the Sense Organs]], a literary establishment credited with the international advancement of psychological study. From 1894 to 1905 Ebbinghaus served as a professor at the [[University of Breslau]], (now [[Wrocław]], [[Poland]]) where he founded a second psychology laboratory at Breslau in 1894. From 1905 until 1908 he served as a professor for the [[Univerity of Halle]]. In 1909 Ebbinghaus would succumb to [[pneumonia]], dying in Breslau at the age of 59.
 ==Work==
-In 1885 while at the University of Berlin, Ebbinghaus published his groundbreaking ''Über das Gedchtnis'' ("On Memory", later translated to English as ''Memory. A Contribution to Experimental Psychology'' in which he described experiments he conducted on himself to describe the process of forgetting. In 1897 Ebbinghaus formulated and developed a [[children’s intelligence test]].
+In 1885 while at the University of Berlin, Ebbinghaus published his groundbreaking ''[[Über das Gedchtnis]]'', or [["On Memory"]]. This publication was later translated into the English language as ''[[Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology]]''. Within this work, Ebbinghaus set out to counter the assertion made by German [[physiologist]] [[Wilhelm Wundt]] who claimed human memory to be incapable of experimental study. Influenced by the work of German [[psychophysicist]] [[Gustav Fechner]], Ebbinghaus incorporated mathematical analysis into studies of [[sensation]] and [[perception]] to
+in which he described experiments he conducted on himself to describe the process of forgetting. In 1897 Ebbinghaus formulated and developed a [[children’s intelligence test]].
 ==Legacy==