Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Hermann Ebbinghaus" - New World
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
{{epname}} | {{epname}} | ||
| − | '''Hermann Ebbinghaus''' (1850–1909) was a [[Germany|German]] [[philosopher]] and [[psychologist]] who pioneered numerous experimental studies of [[memory]] | + | '''Hermann Ebbinghaus''' (1850–1909) was a [[Germany|German]] [[philosopher]] and [[psychologist]] who pioneered numerous experimental studies of [[memory]]. He is famous for his discovery og the "forgetting curve," and introduced fundamental scientific techniques to the field of psychology. Establishing multiple 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== | ==Life== | ||
| − | Hermann Ebbinghaus was born on January 24, 1850 to a family of Lutheran merchants in Barmen, | + | '''Hermann Ebbinghaus''' was born on January 24, 1850 to a family of Lutheran merchants in Barmen, [[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 continued 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, he studied independently throughout parts of Berlin, [[France]], and [[England]], conducting his first set of [[memory]] experiments in 1878. |
| − | Ebbinghaus | + | Ebbinghaus returned 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 teachers 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 (''Journal of Psychology and Physiology of the Sense Organs''), a literary establishment often 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 in 1894. From 1905 until 1908 he served as a professor for the University of Halle. In 1909, Ebbinghaus would succumb to [[pneumonia]], dying in Breslau at the age of 59. |
==Work== | ==Work== | ||
| − | In 1885 while at the University of Berlin, Ebbinghaus published his groundbreaking ''Über das Gedchtnis'', | + | In 1885 while at the University of Berlin, Ebbinghaus published his groundbreaking ''Über das Gedchtnis'', (''On Memory'') in which he described experiments he conducted on himself to describe the process of forgetting. This publication was later translated into the English language as ''Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology'' and is regarded as one of the most influential [[psychology]] texts in print. |
| − | 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 identify the presence of a [[Herman Ebbinghaus#Forgetting curve|forgetting curve]] within the human memory. Working as both experimenter and subject, Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve identified a distinct correlation between memory retention and time, illustrating a decline in the amount of information retained by the human memory over time. | + | 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 identify the presence of a [[Herman Ebbinghaus#Forgetting curve|forgetting curve]] within the human memory. Working as both experimenter and subject, Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve identified a distinct correlation between memory retention and time, illustrating a decline in the amount of information retained by the human memory over time. |
| − | Ebbinghaus’ ''On Memory'' also studied areas of immediate memory and analyzed comparative learning rates regarding significant and insignificant sets of information. Ebbinghaus found more significant material to be retained longer by the human memory and less insignificant data to be more easily disregarded. Coining the term | + | Ebbinghaus’ ''On Memory'' also studied areas of immediate memory and analyzed comparative [[learning]] rates regarding significant and insignificant sets of information. Ebbinghaus found more significant material to be retained longer by the human memory and less insignificant data to be more easily disregarded. Coining the term "nonsense syllable," Ebbinghaus reinvented the psychological study of association and leaning. |
| − | In 1897, while at the University of Breslau, Ebbinghaus began studying the mental capabilities of children, eventually developing a sentence completion test aimed at measuring child intelligence levels. Upon its completion in 1909, Ebbinghaus’ test marked the first prominent test of mental ability ever created. Variations of this test are still used in certain psychological evaluations today. | + | In 1897, while at the University of Breslau, Ebbinghaus began studying the mental capabilities of children, eventually developing a sentence completion test aimed at measuring child [[intelligence]] levels. Upon its completion in 1909, Ebbinghaus’ test marked the first prominent test of mental ability ever created. Variations of this test are still used in certain psychological evaluations today. |
| − | In addition to co-founding the '' | + | In addition to co-founding the ''Journal of Psychology and Physiology of the Sense Organs'' in 1890, Ebbinghaus also authored two highly influential psychology textbooks, ''The Principles of Psychology'' published in 1902 and ''A Summary of Psychology'' published in 1908. Later editions of these texts remain in contemporary circulation. |
===Forgetting Curve=== | ===Forgetting Curve=== | ||
| − | In 1885, Ebbinghaus first discovered the [[exponential | + | In 1885, Ebbinghaus first discovered the [[exponential function|exponential]] nature of forgetting. , describing the rough formula of forgetting by |
| + | :''R'' = ''e''<sup>(−''t''/''S'')</sup> | ||
| + | where ''R'' is memory retention, ''S'' is the relative strength of memory, and ''t'' is [[time]]. | ||
| − | + | A typical graph of the forgetting curve shows that humans tend to halve their memory of newly learned knowledge in a matter of days or weeks unless they consciously review the learned material. | |
| − | + | Ebbinghaus observed that the speed of forgetting depends on a number of factors such as the difficulty of the learned material, how meaningful the material is to the subject, representation of material, and other physiological factors including stress and sleep. On average, Ebbinghaus found the basal forgetting rate to differ little between individuals. He explained the difference in performance as measured in schooling through [[mnemonic]] representation skills; while some people are able to "imagine" memories in the correct way, others are not. | |
| − | + | Basic training in mnemonic techniques have been shown to overcome such differences. The best methods for increasing the strength of memory include the improvement of material representation with mnemonic techniques, and the increase of repetition based on active recall or spaced repetition. Each repetition in learning has shown to increase the optimum interval before the next repetition is needed. For near-perfect retention, studies have shown initial repetitions may need to be made within days, but can later be made after years. | |
| − | Ebbinghaus’ results showed the forgetting curve to be steepest for nonsensical material. In other areas, the curve proves nearly flat for vivid or traumatic memories. According to Ebbinghaus, the flatness of the curve is not necessarily evidence for a decrease in the forgetting rate, but can be evidence of | + | The first significant study in this area, carried out by Ebbinghaus, was published in his 1885 ''Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology''. Ebbinghaus studied the memorization of nonsense syllables, such as "WID" and "ZOF". By repeatedly testing himself after various time periods and recording the results, he was the first to describe the shape of the forgetting curve. The forgetting curve illustrates the decline of memory retention over time and is related to the concept of strength of memory which refers to the durability that memory traces in the brain. Throughout various experiments, Ebbinghaus discovered that the stronger one’s memory is, the longer one can remember a given material. Ebbinghaus showed that humans tend to halve their memory of newly learned knowledge in a matter of days or weeks unless consciously reviewing the learned material. |
| + | |||
| + | Ebbinghaus’ results showed the forgetting curve to be steepest for nonsensical material. In other areas, the curve proves nearly flat for vivid or traumatic memories. According to Ebbinghaus, the flatness of the curve is not necessarily evidence for a decrease in the forgetting rate, but can be evidence of implicit repetition, or reliving memories, that indefinitely restore memory traces. In a typical schoolbook application of learning word pairs, most students show the retention of 90 percent after three to six days, depending on material. In other words, during this period, the forgetting curve would "fall" by 10 percent. | ||
==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
| − | Hermann Ebbinghaus’ lasting contributions to the field of [[psychology]] are multiple. In addition to being the first psychologist to study areas of human memory | + | Hermann Ebbinghaus’ lasting contributions to the field of [[psychology]] are multiple. In addition to being the first psychologist to study areas of human [[memory]], Ebbinghaus contributed greatly to the establishment of [[experimental psychology]]. Identifying both the "nonsense syllable" and the "forgetting curve," Ebbinghaus revolutionized the study of psychology to incorporate mathematical evaluation and experimental research. His most famous work, ''On Memory', launched an international awareness of the psychology field as well as the widespread use of experimental psychology in both research and study. While pioneering precise experimental techniques used in memory and learning, Ebbinghaus also established two psychology laboratories in Germany, co-founded a highly influential psychology journal, and promoted the international advance of psychological study in its earliest years. |
==Major Publications== | ==Major Publications== | ||
Revision as of 21:22, 13 February 2007
Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850–1909) was a German philosopher and psychologist who pioneered numerous experimental studies of memory. He is famous for his discovery og the "forgetting curve," and introduced fundamental scientific techniques to the field of psychology. Establishing multiple 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, 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 continued 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, he studied independently throughout parts of Berlin, France, and England, conducting his first set of memory experiments in 1878.
Ebbinghaus returned 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 teachers 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 (Journal of Psychology and Physiology of the Sense Organs), a literary establishment often 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 in 1894. From 1905 until 1908 he served as a professor for the University 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) in which he described experiments he conducted on himself to describe the process of forgetting. This publication was later translated into the English language as Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology and is regarded as one of the most influential psychology texts in print.
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 identify the presence of a forgetting curve within the human memory. Working as both experimenter and subject, Ebbinghaus’ forgetting curve identified a distinct correlation between memory retention and time, illustrating a decline in the amount of information retained by the human memory over time.
Ebbinghaus’ On Memory also studied areas of immediate memory and analyzed comparative learning rates regarding significant and insignificant sets of information. Ebbinghaus found more significant material to be retained longer by the human memory and less insignificant data to be more easily disregarded. Coining the term "nonsense syllable," Ebbinghaus reinvented the psychological study of association and leaning.
In 1897, while at the University of Breslau, Ebbinghaus began studying the mental capabilities of children, eventually developing a sentence completion test aimed at measuring child intelligence levels. Upon its completion in 1909, Ebbinghaus’ test marked the first prominent test of mental ability ever created. Variations of this test are still used in certain psychological evaluations today.
In addition to co-founding the Journal of Psychology and Physiology of the Sense Organs in 1890, Ebbinghaus also authored two highly influential psychology textbooks, The Principles of Psychology published in 1902 and A Summary of Psychology published in 1908. Later editions of these texts remain in contemporary circulation.
Forgetting Curve
In 1885, Ebbinghaus first discovered the exponential nature of forgetting. , describing the rough formula of forgetting by
- R = e(−t/S)
where R is memory retention, S is the relative strength of memory, and t is time.
A typical graph of the forgetting curve shows that humans tend to halve their memory of newly learned knowledge in a matter of days or weeks unless they consciously review the learned material.
Ebbinghaus observed that the speed of forgetting depends on a number of factors such as the difficulty of the learned material, how meaningful the material is to the subject, representation of material, and other physiological factors including stress and sleep. On average, Ebbinghaus found the basal forgetting rate to differ little between individuals. He explained the difference in performance as measured in schooling through mnemonic representation skills; while some people are able to "imagine" memories in the correct way, others are not.
Basic training in mnemonic techniques have been shown to overcome such differences. The best methods for increasing the strength of memory include the improvement of material representation with mnemonic techniques, and the increase of repetition based on active recall or spaced repetition. Each repetition in learning has shown to increase the optimum interval before the next repetition is needed. For near-perfect retention, studies have shown initial repetitions may need to be made within days, but can later be made after years.
The first significant study in this area, carried out by Ebbinghaus, was published in his 1885 Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. Ebbinghaus studied the memorization of nonsense syllables, such as "WID" and "ZOF". By repeatedly testing himself after various time periods and recording the results, he was the first to describe the shape of the forgetting curve. The forgetting curve illustrates the decline of memory retention over time and is related to the concept of strength of memory which refers to the durability that memory traces in the brain. Throughout various experiments, Ebbinghaus discovered that the stronger one’s memory is, the longer one can remember a given material. Ebbinghaus showed that humans tend to halve their memory of newly learned knowledge in a matter of days or weeks unless consciously reviewing the learned material.
Ebbinghaus’ results showed the forgetting curve to be steepest for nonsensical material. In other areas, the curve proves nearly flat for vivid or traumatic memories. According to Ebbinghaus, the flatness of the curve is not necessarily evidence for a decrease in the forgetting rate, but can be evidence of implicit repetition, or reliving memories, that indefinitely restore memory traces. In a typical schoolbook application of learning word pairs, most students show the retention of 90 percent after three to six days, depending on material. In other words, during this period, the forgetting curve would "fall" by 10 percent.
Legacy
Hermann Ebbinghaus’ lasting contributions to the field of psychology are multiple. In addition to being the first psychologist to study areas of human memory, Ebbinghaus contributed greatly to the establishment of experimental psychology. Identifying both the "nonsense syllable" and the "forgetting curve," Ebbinghaus revolutionized the study of psychology to incorporate mathematical evaluation and experimental research. His most famous work, On Memory', launched an international awareness of the psychology field as well as the widespread use of experimental psychology in both research and study. While pioneering precise experimental techniques used in memory and learning, Ebbinghaus also established two psychology laboratories in Germany, co-founded a highly influential psychology journal, and promoted the international advance of psychological study in its earliest years.
Major Publications
- Ebbinghaus, H. (1885/1962). Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology. New York, NY: Dover Pubns; New Ed edition. 1987. ISBN 0486255557
- Ebbinghaus, H. (1902). Grundzüge der Psychologie. 1. Band, 2. Theil. Leipzig: Veit & Co, 1902.
- Ebbinghaus, H. (1908/1973). Psychology: An Elementary Textbook. New York, NY: Arno Press, 1908. ISBN 0405051387
ReferencesISBN 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
- Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology
- Introduction to Memory, by Robert H. Wozniak
- Hermann Ebbinghaus at the Human Intelligence website
- Hermann Ebbinghaus Portraits of Statisticians.
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
