Psychology- James Mckeen Cattell
Running Head: CATTELL
James McKeen Cattell
Vanessa Laurent
ID Number- 70407246
Southern Connecticut State University
April 22, 2010
James McKeen Cattell was a dominant structure in introducing experimental psychology in the United States. His greatest contribution to psychology is his objective methods of study and the thought that psychology should be applied to practical aspects of life. He has been credited as developing an approach to psychological research that continues to dominate the field of psychology. During psychology's early years, most research focused on the sensory responses of single individuals studied in depth; instead Cattell developed techniques that allowed him to study groups of people and the individual differences among them. He was born on May 20, 1860, in Easton, Pennsylvania. His father was a wealthy Presbyterian minister who later became the president of Lafayette College in Easton, and his family supported Cattell's education and his early desire to travel and work abroad. After graduating with a B.A. degree from Lafayette College in 1880, Cattell studied in Europe at Leipzig and at Gottingen under Wilhelm Wundt. Moving to England, Cattell worked with Sir Francis Galton, who strongly influenced him. Returning to the United States, he worked at Johns Hopkins University. From 1888 to 1891 Cattell held the first professorship in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia. He made his greatest personal contributions to the field of psychology during 1891-1917 when he was professor at Columbia University. Cattell left the academic world in 1917 when Columbia University dismissed him because of his unpopular opposition to World War I. And later sued the University for libel and won $40,000 in court, but he did not return to the institution. He died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on January 20, 1944. The majority of Cattell’s work has been aimed at establishing psychology as a scientific disciple.
James McKeen Cattell
Vanessa Laurent
ID Number- 70407246
Southern Connecticut State University
April 22, 2010
James McKeen Cattell was a dominant structure in introducing experimental psychology in the United States. His greatest contribution to psychology is his objective methods of study and the thought that psychology should be applied to practical aspects of life. He has been credited as developing an approach to psychological research that continues to dominate the field of psychology. During psychology's early years, most research focused on the sensory responses of single individuals studied in depth; instead Cattell developed techniques that allowed him to study groups of people and the individual differences among them. He was born on May 20, 1860, in Easton, Pennsylvania. His father was a wealthy Presbyterian minister who later became the president of Lafayette College in Easton, and his family supported Cattell's education and his early desire to travel and work abroad. After graduating with a B.A. degree from Lafayette College in 1880, Cattell studied in Europe at Leipzig and at Gottingen under Wilhelm Wundt. Moving to England, Cattell worked with Sir Francis Galton, who strongly influenced him. Returning to the United States, he worked at Johns Hopkins University. From 1888 to 1891 Cattell held the first professorship in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia. He made his greatest personal contributions to the field of psychology during 1891-1917 when he was professor at Columbia University. Cattell left the academic world in 1917 when Columbia University dismissed him because of his unpopular opposition to World War I. And later sued the University for libel and won $40,000 in court, but he did not return to the institution. He died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on January 20, 1944. The majority of Cattell’s work has been aimed at establishing psychology as a scientific disciple.