James McKeen Cattell
American psychologist, editor and promoter of mental tests
American psychologist who took his doctorate under Wundt at Leipzig, became the first professor of psychology in the United States, promoted mental tests, edited Science and helped found the Psychological Corporation.
Why this person matters
Cattell linked German laboratory methods to Francis Galton's interest in individual differences. As professor, editor and organiser he shaped American psychology and supervised students including Edward Thorndike and Robert Woodworth.
Main contributions
Mental tests
His 1890 paper 'Mental Tests and Measurements' in Mind proposed ten uniform tests, including dynamometer pressure, reaction time for sound and the number of letters remembered after one hearing, so that results from different places could be compared. Some followed tests Galton had used.
Professorships and journals
He became the first professor of psychology in the United States at the University of Pennsylvania (dated 1888 or 1889 in sources) and moved to Columbia in 1891. He co-founded Psychological Review with James Mark Baldwin and edited Science for almost fifty years.
Applied psychology organisations
He compiled American Men of Science from 1906. In 1921 the Psychological Corporation was founded, which one account says he started with Robert Woodworth and Edward Thorndike using money from a lawsuit against Columbia.
Context and limits
Cattell's student Clark Wissler later found that the tests did not correlate with academic performance. Cattell's thinking was influenced by eugenics. After his 1917 dismissal he sued Columbia and won an annuity, and the case is credited with helping universities adopt academic tenure.
In your introductory course
History and research methods.Appears in the intelligence and testing chapters as the person who promoted 'mental tests', and in the history chapter as a link between Wundt and American psychology.
Related course reading: Psychology 2e, section 13.1. This is course context rather than a biographical source.
Years of active work
- 1886
Dissertation accepted under Wundt at Leipzig; he had returned there as Wundt's assistant in 1883.
- 1890
Published 'Mental Tests and Measurements' in Mind.
- 1891
Moved to Columbia University to lead a combined department.
- 1917
Dismissed from Columbia for opposing conscription and American entry into the First World War.
- 1921
Helped found the Psychological Corporation.
Sources
- Classics in the History of Psychology (York University), Cattell, Mental Tests and MeasurementsOriginal work. Text passages inspected.
- New World Encyclopedia, James McKeen CattellReference work. Reference article inspected.
- Wikipedia, James McKeen CattellReference work. Reference article inspected.