Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Psychology at Indiana University: From Bryan to Skinner

  • Published:
The Psychological Record Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Indiana University is the location of the oldest continuing psychology laboratory in America. William Lowe Bryan, a future president of the American Psychological Association, opened the laboratory in January of 1888 and subsequently performed his classic experiments on Morse Code learning there in the 1890s. This article describes the individuals and themes that guided the development of psychology at Indiana in its first 60 years, ending with the chairmanship and activities of B. F. Skinner in 1945–48. The most significant contributions of the members of the department are reviewed and assessed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Reference Note

  1. SOKAL, M. M. Personal communication, November 5, 1979.

  2. WILLIAM L. Bryan to Joseph Swain, May 1901. Indiana University Archives, Bloomington, Ind.

  3. Book, W. F. Department of Psychology and Philosophy Report to the I. U. Board of Trustees 1920–21. Unpublished paper, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington, Ind.

  4. KANTOR, J. R. Personal communication, February 16, 1979.

  5. B F. SKINNER to R. L. SHOEMAKER, Dean of Students, April 30, 1946. Indiana University Archives, Bloomington, Ind.

Reference

  • ALBRECHT, F. M. 1960. The new psychology in America: 1880–1895. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Johns Hopkins University.

    Google Scholar 

  • BOOK, W. F. 1908. The psychology of skill with special reference to its acquisition in typewriting. University of Montana Publications in Psychology, 1, 1–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • BOOK, W. F. 1927. Howto succeed in college. Baltimore: Warwick & York.

    Google Scholar 

  • BORING, E. G. 1950a. A history of experimental psychology (2nd ed.). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • BORING, E. G. 1950b. The influence of evolutionary theory upon American psychological thought. In S. Persons (Ed.), Evolutionary thought in America. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • BORING, M. D., & BORING, E. G. 1948. Masters and pupils among the American psychologists. American Journal of Psychology, 61, 527–534.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L. 1892. On the development of voluntary motor ability. American Journal of Psychology, 5, 125–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L. 1894a. Eye and ear mindedness. Proceedings of the International Congress of Education, 1893. New York: Little.

    Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L. 1894b. A plea for special child study. Proceedings of the International Congress of Education, 1893. New York: Little.

    Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L. 1901. The case of Arthur Griffith, arithmetical prodigy. Proceedings and Papers, Fourth International Congress of Psychology, Paris, 1900. Paris.

    Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L. 1904. Theory and practice. Psychological Review, 11, 71–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L. 1948. Adventure in psychology: 1885–1902. Bloomington, Ind.: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L., & HARTER, N. 1897. Studies in the physiology and psychology of the telegraphic language. Psychological Review, 4, 26–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L., & HARTER, N. 1899. Studies in the telegraphic language. The acquisition of a hierarchy of habits. Psychological Review, 6, 345–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • BRYAN, W. L., LINDLEY, E. H., & HARTER, N. 1941. On the psychology of learning a life occupation. Indiana University Publications, Science Series, 11, 1–129.

    Google Scholar 

  • CAIRNS, R. B., & ORNSTEIN, P. A. 1979. Developmental psychology. In E. Hearst (Ed.), The first century of experimental psychology. Hillsdale, N. J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • CATTELL, J. McK. 1928. Early psychological laboratories. Science, 67, 543–548.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • COFER, C. N. 1979. Human learning and memory. In E. Hearst (Ed.), The first century of experimental psychology. Hillsdale, N. J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • CONKLIN, E. S. 1927. Principles of abnormal psychology. New York: Holt.

    Google Scholar 

  • CONKLIN, E. S. 1929. The psychology of religious adjustment. New York: Holt.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • CONKLIN, E. S. 1935. Principles of adolescent psychology. New York: Holt.

    Google Scholar 

  • CONKLIN, E. S., & FREEMAN, F. S. 1939. Introductory psychology for students of education. New York: Holt.

    Google Scholar 

  • DEESE, J. 1973. In memoriam: Winthrop Niles Kellogg: 1898–1972. The Psychological Record, 23, 423–425.

    Google Scholar 

  • DELABARRE, E. B. 1894. Les laboratoires de psychologie en Amerique. L’annee Psychologique, 1, 209–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DENNIS, W., & BORING, E. G. 1952. The founding of the APA. American Psychologist, 7, 95–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DEPUTY, M. W. 1947. The philosophical ideas and related achievements of William Lowe Bryan. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University.

    Google Scholar 

  • DORE, L. R., & HILGARD, E. R. 1938. Spaced practice as a test of Snoddy’s two processes in mental growth. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 23, 359–374.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ELLSON, D. G. 1956. William Lowe Bryan: 1860–1955. American Journal of Psychology, 69, 325–327.

    Google Scholar 

  • ESTES, W. K. 1961. Roland Clark Davis: 1902–1961. American Journal of Psychology, 74, 635.

    Google Scholar 

  • FARRELL, F. D. 1956. Dr. Lindley’s Christmas present. The Kansas Historical Quarterly, 22, 67–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • FULLER, P. R. 1973. Professors Kantor and Skinner: The “grand alliance” of the 40’s. The Psychological Record, 23, 318–324.

    Google Scholar 

  • GARVEY, C. R. 1929. List of American psychology laboratories. Psychological Bulletin, 26, 652–660.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HAGGERTY, M. E., & KEMPF, E. J. 1913. Suppression and substitution as a factor in sex differences. American Journal of Psychology, 24, 414–425.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • HALL, G. S. 1904. Adolescence. New York: Appleton.

    Google Scholar 

  • HEARST, E., & JENKINS, H. M. 1974. Sign-tracking: Thestimulus-reinforcer relation and directed action. Austin, Texas: The Psychonomic Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • HENDRICKS, J. D. 1968. The child-study movement in American education 1880–1910: A quest for educational reform through a scientific study of the child. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University.

    Google Scholar 

  • HILGARD, E. R. (Ed.). 1978. American psychology in historical perspective. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Indiana University. 1892–93. Catalog.

  • Indiana University. 1893–94. Catalog.

  • Indiana University. 1910–11. Catalog.

  • KANTOR, J. R. 1924–26. Principles of psychology (2 vols.). New York: Knopf.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • KANTOR, J. R. 1971. The aim and progress of psychology and other sciences. Chicago: Principia Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • KELLER, F. S. 1958. The phantom plateau. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 1, 1–13.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • KELLOGG, W. N. 1946. The learning curve for flying an airplane. Journal of Applied Psychology, 30, 435–441.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KELLOGG, W. N., DEESE, J., & PRONKO, N. H. 1946. On the behavior of the lumbo- spinal dog. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 36, 503–511.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KELLOGG, W. N., & KELLOGG, L. A. 1933. The ape and the child. New York: McGraw- Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • KELLOGG, W. N., & POMEROY, W. B. 1936. Maze learning in water snakes. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 21, 275–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KELLOGG, W. N., SCOTT, V. B., DAVIS, R. C., & WOLF, I. S. 1940. Is movement necessary for learning? Journal of Comparative Psychology, 29, 43–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KINSEY, A. C., POMEROY, W. B., & MARTIN, C. E. 1948. Sexual behavior in the human male. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders.

    Google Scholar 

  • KROHN, W. O. 1890–91. Facilities in experimental psychology in the colleges of the United States. Report of the U. S. Commissioner of Education, 1139–1151.

    Google Scholar 

  • LINDLEY, E. H. 1897. A study of puzzles with special reference to the psychology of mental adaptation. American Journal of Psychology, 8, 431–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LINDLEY, E. H., & BRYAN, W. L. 1900. An arithmetical prodigy. Psychological Review, 7, 135. (Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • LOUTTIT, C. M. 1931. Psychological journals: A minor contribution to the history of psychology. Psychological Review, 38, 455–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LOUTTIT, C. M. 1932. Handbook of psychological literature. Bloomington, Ind.: Principia Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • LOUTTIT, C. M. 1934. A blank for history taking in psychological clinics. Journal of Applied Psychology, 18, 737–748.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LOUTTIT, C. M. 1936. Clinical psychology: A handbook of children’s behavior problems. New York: Harper.

    Google Scholar 

  • MURRAY, F. S., & ROWE, F. B. 1979. Psychology laboratories in the United States prior to 1900. Teaching of Psychology, 6, 19–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • PRESSEY, S. L. 1967. In E. G. Boring & G. Lindzey (Eds.), A history of psychology in autobiography (Vol. 5). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

  • RUCKMICK, C. A. 1912. The history and status of psychology in the United States. American Journal of Psychology, 23, 517–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SCHOENFELD, W. N. 1969. J. R. Kantor’s “Objective psychology of grammar” and “Psychology and logic”: A retrospective appreciation. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 12, 329–347.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • SEASHORE, R. H., DAVIS, R. C., & KANTOR, J. R. 1943. Edmund Smith Conklin: 1884–1942. Science, 97, 393.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SKINNER, B. F. 1945. Baby in a box. Ladies Home Journal, October 1945, pp. 30–31; 135–136; 138.

    Google Scholar 

  • SKINNER, B. F. 1948a. “Superstition” in the pigeon. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 38, 168–172.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SKINNER, B. F. 1948b. Walden two. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • SKINNER, B. F. 1957. Verbal behavior. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • SKINNER, B. F. 1967. In E. G. Boring & G. Lindzey (Eds.), A history of psychology in autobiography (Vol. 5). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

  • SKINNER, B. F. 1979. The shaping ofa behaviorist. New York: Knopf.

    Google Scholar 

  • SNODDY, G. S. 1935. Evidence for two opposed processes in mental growth. Lancaster, Penn.: Science Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • SOKAL, M. M. 1972. Psychology at Victorian Cambridge: The unofficial laboratory of 1887–1888. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 116, 145–147.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SOKAL, M. M. 1973. Apa’s first publication: Proceedings of the American Psychological Association, 1892–93. American Psychologist, 28, 277–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • TERMAN, L. M. 1932. In C. A. Murchison (Ed.), A history of psychology in autobiography (Vol. 2). Worcester, Mass.: Clark University Press.

  • The Psychological Record, 1937, 1, 2. (Editorial statement)

  • The Psychological Record, 1957, 7, i. (Editorial statement)

  • WHITE, S. H. 1979. Children in perspective. American Psychologist, 34, 812–814.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WILSON, L. N. 1920. List of degrees granted at Clark University and Clark College 1889–1920. Publications of Clark University Library, 6, 1–76.

    Google Scholar 

  • WOODBURN, J. A. 1940. History of Indiana University. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University.

    Google Scholar 

  • WOODWORTH, R. S. 1938. Experimental psychology. New York: Holt.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA

    James H. Capshew & Eliot Hearst

Authors
  1. James H. Capshew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Eliot Hearst
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This article was adapted from a thesis presented by James H. Capshew in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the BA with honors in psychology from Indiana University.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Capshew, J.H., Hearst, E. Psychology at Indiana University: From Bryan to Skinner. Psychol Rec 30, 319–342 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394682

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394682

Search

Navigation