Binet, Alfred (1857-1911)
Definition
Alfred Binet (1857-1911) was a French psychologist who is best known for his work in the development of the first practical intelligence test, the Binet-Simon scale. Binet was also a pioneer in the study of individual differences in human intelligence and in the use of psychological tests for educational evaluation.
History
Alfred Binet was born in Nice, France in 1857. He was educated at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris and received his doctorate in natural sciences in 1878. Binet began his career as a physicist and psychologist, but he soon developed an interest in the study of human intelligence. In 1890, Binet was appointed to the faculty of the Sorbonne in Paris and began to focus his research on intelligence.
In 1904, Binet was asked by the French Ministry of Education to develop a practical intelligence test that could be used to identify children with learning difficulties. He collaborated with his colleague Theodore Simon and in 1905 they developed the Binet-Simon scale, which was the first practical intelligence test. The scale measured intelligence in terms of the ability to solve problems and answer questions. It was widely used in France and eventually spread to other countries.
In 1911, Binet published The Development of Intelligence in Children, which was the first comprehensive book on the subject of intelligence tests. In it, he outlined his theories of intelligence and proposed new methods for assessing intelligence. He argued that intelligence is not a single entity, but rather a complex combination of abilities that can be measured.
Binet died in 1911 at the age of 54. He is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the history of intelligence testing.
References
Binet, A. (1911). The development of intelligence in children. New York, NY: Appleton.
Garrison, K. (2018). Alfred Binet. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alfred-Binet
Lubinski, D., & Humphreys, L. G. (1997). On scientific psychology’s most distinguished achievement: Binet’s contributions to the measurement of intelligence. American Psychologist, 52(4), 338-349. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1997-09117-005