Ann Margaret Clarke (1928–2015) was a

developmental psychologist Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development, ...

who conducted research into children with

learning disability Learning disability, learning disorder, or learning difficulty (British English) is a condition in the brain that causes difficulties comprehending or processing information and can be caused by several different factors. Given the "difficult ...

Career

Clarke was born in

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. She studied psychology at the

University of Reading The University of Reading is a public university in Reading, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1892 as University College, Reading, a University of Oxford extension college. The institution received the power to grant its own degrees in 192 ...

where she met

Alan D.B. Clarke Alan Douglas Benson Clarke (21 March 1922 – 10 December 2011) was a British psychologist who specialised in the field of learning disability. Life Clarke was born on 21 March 1922. He grew up in Surrey, where his father was a solicitor. He s ...

who would become her life-long partner. She obtained her PhD from the

Institute of Psychiatry The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) is a research institution dedicated to discovering what causes mental illness and diseases of the brain. In addition, its aim is to help identify new treatments for them and ways ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

(Part of

King's College, London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

). She moved with Alan Clarke to

Manor Hospital, Epsom The Manor Hospital, formerly The Manor Asylum and The Manor Certified Institution was a mental handicap and psychiatric hospital in Horton, near Epsom, Surrey, United Kingdom History Ancient use of the site Pottery sherds and worked flints, found ...

where they worked with children with intellectual disability. In 1965 they moved to the

University of Hull The University of Hull is a public research university in Kingston upon Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1927 as University College Hull. The main university campus is located in Hull and is home to the Hull ...

where Alan Clarke was appointed chair of psychology. In 1985 Ann Clarke was appointed to a personal chair in the Department of Education. She was a member of the editorial board of ''Educational Psychology''.

Research

Clarke's research on learning disabilities emphasised the importance of social context and how impoverished living conditions limited opportunities for growth. She also challenged the idea of the role of 'critical periods' in human development. Her research was influential in social policy. Trevor Parmenter concluded his obituary with the words: 'It is salutary to be reminded how the results of a long trajectory of consistent research on a theme can have remarkable effects on policy and practice, leading to the betterment of the quality of lives of people. We can honour the lives of people such as Ann Clarke for their contributions to science, but we should also honour her capacity and determination to challenge conventional wisdom.'

Selected publications

* * *Reviews of ''Early Experience and the Life Path'' * *

Award

* 2007: Honorary Fellow,

British Psychological Society The British Psychological Society (BPS) is a representative body for psychologists and psychology in the United Kingdom. History It was founded on 24 October 1901 at University College London (UCL) as ''The Psychological Society'', the organ ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, Ann M 1928 births 2015 deaths Developmental psychologists British psychologists British people in colonial India Alumni of the University of Reading Alumni of King's College London Academics of the University of Hull