Great Psychologists

Sigmund Freud is considered the father of psychoanalysis, although today many of his theories are viewed unfavorably. Why is his legacy still so important?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Laing, R. D. (1927-1989) was a Scottish psychiatrist whose work centered on schizophrenia and its causes.

Carr, Harvey (1873-1954), an American psychologist and university administrator, had a profound influence in the field of American psychology.

Harlow, Harry Frederick (1905-1981) was an American psychologist. His studies of the social behavior of monkeys provided new understanding of human behavior and development.

McDougall, William (1871-1938) was a British psychologist who founded the school of purposive psychology, which suggested that humans and animals act for specific purposes, with the actions directed toward achieving certain goals.

Thurstone, Louis Leon (1887-1955) was an American psychologist who was instrumental in the development of psychological tests.

Watson, John B. (Broadus) (1878-1958), a United States psychologist. In Behavior (1914) and other books, Watson argued that psychologists, to be scientific, must study what people do, not what they say they think or feel.

Woodworth, Robert Sessions (1869-1962) was an American psychologist known for his work in experimental psychology, a field that developed in the late 1800's and early 1900's.

Erikson, Erik H. (Homburger) (1902-1994), a United States psychoanalyst. Erikson, considered one of the world's foremost psychoanalysts, conducted significant research on the various stages of psychological development.

Freud, Sigmund (1856-1939), the Austrian physician who founded psychoanalysis.

Koffka, Kurt (1886-1941), a German-American psychologist. With Wolfgang Khler and Max Wertheimer, Koffka was a founder of the Gestalt school of psychology.