Famous Psychologists

FAMOUS PSYCHOLOGISTS provides information on the following people who have become famous for their contributions to the field of psychology.

Allport, Gordon: Gordon Allport's theory of personality development is one of the first humanistic theories.

Beck, Aaron: Aaron Beck is known as the father of cognitive therapy and inventor of the widely used Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale, and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).

Binet, Alfred: Alfred Binet (July 8, 1857 - October 18, 1911) was a French psychologist and developer of the first usable intelligence test, the basis of today's IQ test.

Chomsky, Noam: Noam Chomsky is credited with the creation of the theory of generative grammar, considered to be one of the most significant contributions to the field of theoretical linguistics made in the 20th century.

Ellis, Albert: Albert Ellis is an American cognitive behavioral therapist who developed Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT).

Erikson, Erik: Erik Homburger Erikson was a developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on social development of human beings, and for coining the phrase identity crisis.

Erickson, Milton: Milton Erickson is considered the father of modern hypnotherapy. The therapy he engendered, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, is one of the fastest growing and influential branches of hypnotherapy today. His methods inspired NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming).

Freud, Sigmund: Sigmund Freud is the father of psychoanalysis, and is generally recognized as one of the most influential and authoritative thinkers of the twentieth century.

Fromm, Erich: Erich Fromm was an internationally renowned social psychologist and humanistic philosopher.

Glasser, William: William Glasser is the developer of Reality Therapy and Choice Theory. He is notable for having developed a cause and effect theory that explains human behavior.

Harlow, Harry: Harry Harlow was a psychologist best known for his studies on affection and development using rhesus monkeys and surrogate wire or terrycloth mothers.

Jung, Carl: Carl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and founder of analytical psychology.

Kinsey, Alfred: Alfred Kinsey's research on human sexuality profoundly influenced social and cultural values in the United States and many other countries.

Lang, R. D.: R.D. Lang , was a Psychoanalyst, Social Phenomenologist, Radical Psychiatrist, and Existential Philosopher. He wrote extensively on mental illness and particularly the experience of psychosis.

Leary, Timothy: Timothy Leary was a writer, psychologist, and advocate of psychedelic drug research and use. He coined and popularized the catch phrase "Turn on, tune in, drop out."

Lewin, Kurt: Kurt Lewin became one of the pioneers of social psychology. Often called "the father of social psychology," and one of the first researchers to study group dynamics and organizational development.

Perls, Fritz: Fritz Perls is the founder of Gestalt therapy. Fritz Perls is also know for his work with dreams.

Maslow, Abraham: Abraham Masolw one of the founders of humanistic psychology and is often best recognized for developing the theory of human motivation now known as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

May, Rollo: Rollo May was an existential psychologist and has often been referred to as "the father of existential psychotherapy."

Piaget, Jean: Jean Piaget spent much of his professional life listening to children, watching children and in the area of developmental psychology.

Pavlov, Ivan: Ivan Pavlov is widely known for first describing the phenomenon now known as classical conditioning in his experiments with dogs.

Rogers, Carl: Carl Rogers was instrumental in the development of non-directive psychotherapy, which he initially termed Client-centered therapy and he is known as the father of client-centered therapy.

Satir, Virginia: Virginia Satir was a noted American author and psychotherapist, known especially for her approach to family therapy. Virginia Satir is referred to as "The Mother of Family System Therapy"

Skinner, B.F.: B. F. Skinner was one of the most influential of American psychologists. A behaviorist, he developed the theory of operant conditioning.

Wolpe, Joseph: Joseph Wolpe is best known for developing theories and experiments about what is now called systematic desensitization and assertiveness training.