Edward Thorndike

About

Psychologist who proposed influential theories on learning and human behavior, leading the way for modern educational psychology. He was also the president of the American Psychological Association and a member of the board of the Psychological Corporation.

Before Fame

He was the first psychologist to carry out experimental research on non-human subjects, with his doctoral thesis focusing on animal intelligence.

Trivia

To help with the army enlistment efforts in WWI he devised two multiple choice tests used to classify recruits; Alpha tests were given to all soldiers who could read, and Beta tests, with pictures, to soldiers who couldn't.

Family Life

He had five children with wife Elizabeth Moulton.

Associated With

As with another prominent psychologist, Lewis Terman, his views on human intelligence were often shaped by his belief in eugenics.