Ebbinghaus, H. (1850-1909). The Father of Experimental Psychology. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2, 1184-1186.
Hermann Ebbinghaus was an influential figure in experimental psychology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was born in 1850 in Barmen, Germany and attended the University of Berlin, where he studied philosophy and psychology. During his studies, he was greatly influenced by the field of psychophysics, which was the study of the physical properties of the mind. Ebbinghaus went on to become a professor of philosophy at the University of Berlin, and eventually established the first laboratory dedicated to the study of experimental psychology.
Ebbinghaus is best known for his pioneering work in the field of memory. He developed the concept of the “forgetting curve,” which illustrated how quickly memories are forgotten over time. He also studied the effects of repetition on memory, developing the “spacing effect,” which demonstrated that distributed practice is more effective than massed practice when learning a new skill or task. His work influenced the development of educational technologies, such as flashcards and mnemonic devices.
In addition to his work on memory, Ebbinghaus also studied the effects of emotion on learning and memory. He demonstrated that emotions can have a powerful influence on how information is stored and retrieved from memory, and that learning is most effective when the learner is emotionally engaged.
Ebbinghaus’ work had a profound impact on the field of experimental psychology, and he is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of the discipline. His pioneering research laid the foundation for many of the theories and methods that are still used today, and his influence can be seen in many areas of psychology, such as memory, learning, emotion, and educational technology.
References
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Sternberg, R. J. (1985). Beyond IQ: A triarchic theory of human intelligence. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.