Biography of Robert Woodworth (1869-1962)

Robert Woodworth He was the brilliant thinker behind dynamic psychology and other remarkable contributions for the field of psychology, such as its stimulus-organism-response formula (SOR), as well as the creation of one of the most controversial personality tests that have existed in history. All these research efforts have made him a reference author in different fields, in addition to taking him to occupy the number 88 among the most cited psychologists in this century.

Among its proposals, Woodworth It stands out for having analyzed different psychological approaches in order to create a school of thought that it was more objective and provided a frame of reference for psychology. He is an author whose thought, without a doubt, deserves to be studying, because his contributions range from physiology, to psychology and philosophy.

Content

• Early years of Robert Woodworth
• Later years of Robert Woodworth
• Influences and contributions by Robert Woodworth
• Woodworth and Science
  • Bibliography

Early years of Robert Woodworth

Robert Woodworth's first years of life passed in the town of Belchertoown, Massachusetts, USA.UU., where he was born in 1869. His high school was located in Newton, Massachusetts and The preparation he received was aimed at making him a minister, But various circumstances were taking him along another way. So, during high school he dedicated himself to studying science, mathematics, classical authors, as well as history and religion, but a class with the prominent psychologist Charles Edward Garman totally changed his destiny in life.

This class took her about to graduate, in 1891, of the Amherst College. After the same, his life took a turn and the following years dedicated them to the teaching of mathematics. The old attempts to become a minister were left behind.  From Amherst College, Robert Woodworth graduated specialized in philosophy; Then, in Harvard, he continued on the philosophical route while elaborating his doctoral thesis. However, being there led him to acquire other knowledge that enriched his jobs.

Later years of Robert Woodworth

While in Harvard, Woodworth was a physiology assistant, to later be sent to work in a laboratory in Edinburgh. Then, he was in Liverpool, where he also worked as an assistant in physiology. At that moment They began their publications on electrical conductivity in the nerves. Later, he returned to the EE.UU., And their steps began in psychology. An encounter with personalities like Thorndike made him focus on the design of personality tests.

Thus, in 1909 he began to teach psychology classes, assigned as a professor, and this would be an irreversible point, since he would maintain his focus on this area. In 1914 he became president of the American Association of Psychology.

Woodworth's production was prolific, because, it was not until 70 years when he retired from Columbia and, despite this, his work continued. He gave lectures up to 89 and wrote almost until the end of his life, refraining from doing so only until he turned 91. Robert Woodworth died in New York on July 4, 1962, however, His magnificent work will be remembered forever, thanks to the fact that his contributions continue to open debates in the field of psychology.

Influences and contributions by Robert Woodworth

As pointed out, as Woodworth continued to satisfy his research work and encountering different personalities, his career was defining. For example, During his postgraduate hill, he found himself under the tutelage of the laudable psychologist and philosopher William James, which was also decisive for his career, as was the presence of James Cattell in Columbia, or that of Thorndike himself.

The vision that other authors had made them perfect, so that, it concluded, among other things, that learning was not transferable. Regarding the commendable participation in the debate on the issue of stimulus-response, Woodworth stated that, unlike what the behavioral school postulated, between stimulus and response the organism intervenes. So, the answer will depend on how the body is, then, this is the mediator.

Woodworth and Science

Also, for Woodworth, the technicalities used in psychology were often more subjective than objectives, so He was interested in rethinking some words, Only at that time he was ignored. In his work Psychologh: A Study of Mental Life, Woodworth, He explained that psychology could not be classified as "science of the soul", because it is a very old expression, with very theological nuances for a science, nor could it be considered a "science of the mind", because it implied something similar to a "mechanism".

From his point of view, psychology could not be taken as a "science of consciousness", since the unconscious It also deserved to be investigated and, not even, could be defined as "behavior science", while it would be to reduce it to behaviorism, so no such meanings were not entirely satisfactory. Instead, proposed to inspect what psychologists really do and identify the class of knowledge they are looking for, Only then would it be possible to reach more accurate assertions.

In addition to this, studies such as Robert Gibby and Michael Zickar, about the history of personality tests in the American industry, indicate that Woodworth was a pioneer in creating the famous data sheet personal During the First World War, with the purpose of knowing who would be the most prone soldiers to suffer from nervous breakdowns when opposite bombings occurred. All the fruitful production of Robert Woodworth is worthy of being studied today, as well as his interesting biography and contributions to the different disciplines in which he went down, especially in psychology.

Watson and Classic Conditioning

Bibliography

• Gibby, Robert & Zickar, Michael. (2008). A History of The Early Days of Personality Testing in American Industry: An Obsession with Adjustment. History of Psychology. eleven. 164-84. 10.1037/A0013041.
• Woodworth, r. S., & Thorndike, and. L. (1901). The influence of improvement in one mental function up the efficient of other function. (YO). Psychological Review, 8(3), 247.
• Woodworth, r. S. (1932). Robert s. Woodworth.
• Woodworth, r. S. (1939). PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES: SELECTED PAPERS OF ROBERT S. Woodworth, Professor of Psychology, Columbia University.