Biography of Psychologist Alfred Binet :: essays research papers

Alfred BinetThe following essay offers both a short biography of Psychologist Alfred Binetand a reach day working application using the scheme from which Binetdeveloped his Intelligence test.Alfred Binet, born in Nice, France, on the eleventh of July, whose mother was anartist and whose father was a physician, became one of the roughly prominentpsychologists in French history.Having received his formal education in both Nice and later, in Paris, at theren confessed lycee Louis -le-Grand, Binet went on to twist a lawyer. Thisprofession, however, was not suited to him, and he found himself immersed in theworks of J.S. Mill, Bain and Sully at the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. Heidentified powerfully with the associationism theory in following that his mentorwas J.S. Mill.Binet began working with Charcot and Fere at the Salpetriere, a famous Parisianhospital, where he absorbed the theories of his teachers in regards to hypnosis,hysteria and vicarious psychological science. Dur ing the following septet years, hecontinuously demonstrated his loyalty in defending Charcots doctrines onhypnotic transfer and polarization until he was forced to feature thecounterattacks of Delboeuf and the Nancy School, which eventually caused a splitbetween student and teacher.Having been married in 1884 to Laure Balbiani, whose father was E.G. Balbiani,an embryologist at the College de France, Binet was given the opportunity towork in his lab where his reside in comparative psychology was piqued and inwhich he eventually wrote his thesis for his doctorate in natural science,focusing his research on the "the behavior, physiology, histology and anatomy ofinsects"(Wolfe, p.7). It was while working in Dr. Balbianis lab, that Binetwrote Animal Magnetism, an obvious breach away from associationism, showingBinets ability to adapt and learn with every opportunity.Binets next area of interest could be considered a precursor to whatsoever ofPiagets work with small fry psyc hology and began with the systematic observation ofhis two daughters, to whom he devoted much of his time, studying and writingabout. It was at this point, that Binet "came to realize that individualdifferences had to be systematically explored to begin with one could determine lawswhich would apply to all people"(Pollack,p.xii).Soon after, Binet was nominated co-director and one year later, became directorof the Laboratory of Physiological psychological science at the Sorbonne. He and Beaunis,also co-director, initiated and edited the first French psychological journalLAnnee Psychologique, which remains in press today.Although never having attained a chairman in his own country (a bitterdisappointment for the proud nationalist) Binet did spend one spring inBucharest where his knowledge in experimental psychology was fully appreciatedBiography of Psychologist Alfred Binet essays research papers Alfred BinetThe following essay offers both a short biography of Psychologist Alfred Binetand a present day practical application using the theory from which Binetdeveloped his Intelligence test.Alfred Binet, born in Nice, France, on the eleventh of July, whose mother was anartist and whose father was a physician, became one of the most prominentpsychologists in French history.Having received his formal education in both Nice and later, in Paris, at therenowned Lycee Louis -le-Grand, Binet went on to become a lawyer. Thisprofession, however, was not suited to him, and he found himself immersed in theworks of J.S. Mill, Bain and Sully at the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. Heidentified strongly with the associationism theory in following that his mentorwas J.S. Mill.Binet began working with Charcot and Fere at the Salpetriere, a famous Parisianhospital, where he absorbed the theories of his teachers in regards to hypnosis,hysteria and abnormal psychology. During the following seven years, hecontinuously demonstrated his loyalty in defending Charcots doctrine s onhypnotic transfer and polarization until he was forced to accept thecounterattacks of Delboeuf and the Nancy School, which eventually caused a splitbetween student and teacher.Having been married in 1884 to Laure Balbiani, whose father was E.G. Balbiani,an embryologist at the College de France, Binet was given the opportunity towork in his lab where his interest in comparative psychology was piqued and inwhich he eventually wrote his thesis for his doctorate in natural science,focusing his research on the "the behavior, physiology, histology and anatomy ofinsects"(Wolfe, p.7). It was while working in Dr. Balbianis lab, that Binetwrote Animal Magnetism, an obvious breaking away from associationism, showingBinets ability to adapt and learn with every opportunity.Binets next area of interest could be considered a precursor to some ofPiagets work with child psychology and began with the systematic observation ofhis two daughters, to whom he devoted much of his time, studying and writingabout. It was at this point, that Binet "came to realize that individualdifferences had to be systematically explored before one could determine lawswhich would apply to all people"(Pollack,p.xii).Soon after, Binet was nominated co-director and one year later, became directorof the Laboratory of Physiological Psychology at the Sorbonne. He and Beaunis,also co-director, initiated and edited the first French psychological journalLAnnee Psychologique, which remains in press today.Although never having attained a professorship in his own country (a bitterdisappointment for the proud nationalist) Binet did spend one spring inBucharest where his knowledge in experimental psychology was fully appreciated