Joseph McVicker Hunt (March 19, 1906 – January 9, 1991) was a prominent

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

educational psychologist An educational psychologist is a psychologist whose differentiating functions may include diagnostic and psycho-educational Psychological evaluation, assessment, psychological counseling in educational communities (students, teachers, parents, ...

and author. He promoted and researched concepts related to the malleable nature of child intelligence (also promulgated by

Benjamin Bloom Benjamin Samuel Bloom (February 21, 1913 – September 13, 1999) was an American educational psychologist who made contributions to the classification of educational objectives and to the theory of mastery learning. He is particularly noted ...

). That work eventually led to the theory of learning centered on the concept of the information processing system.

Early life

Joseph McVicker Hunt was born in Nebraska on March 19, 1906, to parents R. Sanford and Carrie Pearl Hunt, who were both

University of Nebraska A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

graduates. Hunt was an active student with interests in both academic and nonacademic areas such as sports.Pickren, W.E., Dewsbury, D.A., Wertheimer, M. (2012). “Portraits of Pioneers in Developmental Psychology”. Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY. p. 185-203

Education

Hunt enrolled in the University of Nebraska in the mid-1920s. He became president of the League of Industrial Democracy and Student Christian Association as well as participating in football and wrestling. He was also a writer for a newspaper and sold life insurance while in school to earn extra money.Pickren, W.E., Dewsbury, D.A., Wertheimer, M. (2012). “Portraits of Pioneers in Developmental Psychology”. Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY. p. 185-203 Hunt had difficulty deciding on an undergraduate major, so he started with biology, and then moved to philosophy, economics, and sociology.Haywood, C.H. (2000). “Encyclopedia of Psychology, Vol. 4”. American Psychological Association. New York, NY. p. 204-206 His interest in psychology did not begin until his junior year, when

Joy Paul Guilford Joy Paul Guilford (March 7, 1897 – November 26, 1987) was an American psychologist best remembered for his psychometric study of human intelligence, including the distinction between convergent and divergent production. Developing the views ...

returned to the University of Nebraska to direct the psychology laboratory. Hunt took advice from one of his sociology professors and enrolled in a course taught by

Guilford Guildford is a town in Surrey, England. It gives its name to the Borough of Guildford, the Diocese of Guildford and the Parliamentary constituency of Guildford. Guildford, Guilford, or Gildford may also refer to: Places Australia * Guildfor ...

who eventually asked him to complete graduate work in psychology. Hunt accepted and became a graduate student in 1929 at the University of Nebraska.Pickren, W.E., Dewsbury, D.A., Wertheimer, M. (2012). “Portraits of Pioneers in Developmental Psychology”. Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY. p. 185-203 Hunt was interested in

psychoanalysis PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: + . is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a body of knowledge. In what might b ...

. For his master’s thesis, Hunt wanted to discuss the personality traits of

extraversion and introversion The traits of extraversion (also spelled extroversion Retrieved 2018-02-21.) and introversion are a central dimension in some human personality theories. The terms ''introversion'' and ''extraversion'' were introduced into psychology by Carl J ...

, which were described by William McDougal, but after reading the work of

Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating psychopathology, pathologies explained as originatin ...

and

Carl Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, philo ...

, Hunt became convinced of the importance of early life experiences in shaping one’s personality. Additionally, Hunt had the opportunity to test the intelligence of children at the Nebraska Home for Dependent Children, which proved to be important in his later work on the development of child intelligence.Pickren, W.E., Dewsbury, D.A., Wertheimer, M. (2012). “Portraits of Pioneers in Developmental Psychology”. Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY. p. 185-203 Hunt completed his MA in 1930 and then became an assistant instructor at his alma mater for one year.Haywood, C.H. (2000). “Encyclopedia of Psychology, Vol. 4”. American Psychological Association. New York, NY. p. 204-206 Hunt then completed his doctoral degree at

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

under the supervision of Madison Bentley, who was a student of

Edward Bradford Titchener Edward Bradford Titchener (11 January 1867 – 3 August 1927) was an English psychologist who studied under Wilhelm Wundt for several years. Titchener is best known for creating his version of psychology that described the structure of the mind: ...

. Hunt received a Ph.D from Cornell University in 1933. Hunt also completed postdoctoral fellowships at the

New York State Psychiatric Institute The New York State Psychiatric Institute, located at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, was established in 1895 as one of the first institutions in the United States t ...

and the

Worcester State Hospital Worcester State Hospital was a Massachusetts state mental hospital located in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is credited to the architectural firm of Weston & Rand. The hospital and surrounding associated historic structures are listed as Worcester ...

.Haywood, C.H. (2000). “Encyclopedia of Psychology, Vol. 4”. American Psychological Association. New York, NY. p. 204-206 He also received a D.Sc from

Brown University Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...

Teaching and research

As an assistant instructor at the

, Hunt directed the laboratory experiences for introductory psychology students and taught a course on psychological testing.Pickren, W.E., Dewsbury, D.A., Wertheimer, M. (2012). “Portraits of Pioneers in Developmental Psychology”. Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY. p. 185-203 He was asked to be an instructor of psychology at

, which Hunt accepted in 1936. Hunt was a professor at Brown for 10 years and during this time researched experimental psychopathology and Freudian concepts in animals. This is also where he became familiar with the work of

Jean Piaget Jean William Fritz Piaget (, , ; 9 August 1896 – 16 September 1980) was a Swiss psychologist known for his work on child development. Piaget's theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called " genetic epistemolog ...

. A notable collaboration at Brown was with

Harold Schlosberg Harold Schlosberg (January 3, 1904 – August 5, 1964) was an American psychologist who was professor of psychology at Brown University from 1928 until the end of his life. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y, Schlosberg earned his Bachelor's (1925) and Ph ...

, in which they attempted to induce neuroses in hoarding rats. They found that the rats that were given unlimited food supply did not hoard their food as adults, whereas the rats that were fed irregularly did hoard their food as adults. These findings implied the importance of early life experience in shaping adult behavior. Uzgiris, I. C. (1992). Joseph mcvicker hunt: 1906-1991. American Journal of Psychology, 105(3), 471-476 His latest job before his death was as professor of psychology at the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ...

in 1951. Before that he taught at a number of universities, including Brown University,

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, the

, and

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

. At the University of Illinois, he started out being interested in the origin of human intelligence and its development. Although other research emphasized the genetic component of intelligence, Hunt thought that experience played just as large a role in the development of intelligence. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Joseph mcvicker hunt. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/about/governance/president/bio-joseph-hunt.aspx Hunt was also interested in the neurophysiological basis of behavior and was impressed with

Donald Hebb Donald Olding Hebb (July 22, 1904 – August 20, 1985) was a Canadian psychologist who was influential in the area of neuropsychology, where he sought to understand how the function of neurons contributed to psychological processes such as learn ...

's assertions. Therefore, he developed the A/S ratio, which suggested that aspects of motivation were connected to the ratio of association areas to sensory areas in the brain. This idea led to the understanding of

intrinsic motivation Motivation is the reason for which humans and other animals initiate, continue, or terminate a behavior at a given time. Motivational states are commonly understood as forces acting within the agent that create a disposition to engage in goal-dire ...

.Haywood, C.H. (2000). “Encyclopedia of Psychology, Vol. 4”. American Psychological Association. New York, NY. p. 204-206 His interest in

stemmed from his teaching infant development at the

and challenged the nativist perspective that was dominant at the time on the development of intelligence.Haywood, C.H. (2000). “Encyclopedia of Psychology, Vol. 4”. American Psychological Association. New York, NY. p. 204-206 Grants from both the

Russell Sage Foundation The Russell Sage Foundation is an American non-profit organisation established by Margaret Olivia Sage in 1907 for “the improvement of social and living conditions in the United States.” It was named after her recently deceased husband, rail ...

and the

Commonwealth Fund The Commonwealth Fund is a private U.S. foundation whose stated purpose is to "promote a high-performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable, includ ...

allowed him to research the development of intelligence and motivation through child-rearing practices and experience. Uzgiris, I. C. (1992). Joseph mcvicker hunt: 1906-1991. American Journal of Psychology, 105(3), 471-476 His work helped to develop different scales that were able to measure psychological development in young children.Heise K. (January 11, 1991). "Joseph McVicker Hunt, Work Led to Head Start". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-01-11/news/9101030720_1_head-start-standardized-tests-intelligence-and-experience

Notable works

Hunt contributed to the two-volume landmark publication entitled ''Personality and the Behavior Disorders'', which was published in 1944 during his time at Brown. This work summarized work pertaining to mental disorders and personality and provided ideas for future research from both a

psychodynamic Psychodynamics, also known as psychodynamic psychology, in its broadest sense, is an approach to psychology that emphasizes systematic study of the psychological forces underlying human behavior, feelings, and emotions and how they might relate t ...

and

psychoanalytic PsychoanalysisFrom Greek: + . is a set of theories and therapeutic techniques"What is psychoanalysis? Of course, one is supposed to answer that it is many things — a theory, a research method, a therapy, a body of knowledge. In what might be ...

perspective.Pickren, W.E., Dewsbury, D.A., Wertheimer, M. (2012). “Portraits of Pioneers in Developmental Psychology”. Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY. p. 185-203 Hunt's book entitled ''Intelligence and Experience'', written in 1961, was one of the most influential volumes on child development. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Joseph mcvicker hunt. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/about/governance/president/bio-joseph-hunt.aspx It emphasized the shift that was happening among American psychologists regarding intelligence and what determines intelligence. Hunt claimed that experience played a much larger role in determining intelligence in adulthood. Uzgiris, I. C. (1992). Joseph mcvicker hunt: 1906-1991. American Journal of Psychology, 105(3), 471-476

Other notable contributions

Joseph McVicker Hunt was elected and served as the

American Psychological Association The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States, with over 133,000 members, including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students. It ha ...

president from 1951-1952. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Joseph mcvicker hunt. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/about/governance/president/bio-joseph-hunt.aspx He was also the editor of the ''Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology'' from 1949-1955, was a member of the APA council of representatives and the president of the APA’s Division of Clinical Psychology from 1967-1970. He also helped establish the

American Psychological Foundation The American Psychological Foundation (abbreviated APF) is an American philanthropic organization dedicating to awarding research grants to psychologists in the early stages of their careers. It is affiliated with the American Psychological Associ ...

. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Joseph mcvicker hunt. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/about/governance/president/bio-joseph-hunt.aspx Additionally, Hunt laid the groundwork for the

Head Start Program Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and families. The program's s ...

in the early 1960s.Heise K. (January 11, 1991). "Joseph McVicker Hunt, Work Led to Head Start". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-01-11/news/9101030720_1_head-start-standardized-tests-intelligence-and-experience He did this by emphasizing the importance of early education and developed psychometric methods that assessed cognitive developments in young children. Hunt also served as the leader of the White House Task Force on Early Childhood Development under President

Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

, which is known for their report entitled “A Bill of Rights for Children.” American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Joseph mcvicker hunt. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/about/governance/president/bio-joseph-hunt.aspx

Awards and honors

Hunt received a number of awards, including the Award for Excellence in Research from the American Personal and Guidance Association and the Research Career Award from the

National Institute of Mental Health The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is one of 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH, in turn, is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and is the prima ...

. Hunt held a National Institute of Mental Health Research Career Award from 1962-1974, was awarded the Gold Medal of the

in 1970, received the Distinguished Contribution Award of APA developmental psychology division and the G. Stanley Hall Award from the clinical psychology division.Pickren, W.E., Dewsbury, D.A., Wertheimer, M. (2012). “Portraits of Pioneers in Developmental Psychology”. Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY. p. 185-203

Personal life

Hunt married Esther Dahms on December 5, 1929, and was married to her until her death in 1989. Hunt died on January 9, 1991, at home in Urbana, Illinois.Heise K. (January 11, 1991). "Joseph McVicker Hunt, Work Led to Head Start". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-01-11/news/9101030720_1_head-start-standardized-tests-intelligence-and-experience He is survived by his two daughters Carol Epple and Judith Ann Hunt.Heise K. (January 11, 1991). "Joseph McVicker Hunt, Work Led to Head Start". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-01-11/news/9101030720_1_head-start-standardized-tests-intelligence-and-experience

Legacy

Hunt retired from the

in 1974. However, he remained an active researcher. His most important contributions were those in developmental psychology. Through his research, Hunt was able to emphasize the malleable nature of a child and the role of experience in molding a person.Pickren, W.E., Dewsbury, D.A., Wertheimer, M. (2012). “Portraits of Pioneers in Developmental Psychology”. Taylor & Francis Group, New York, NY. p. 185-203 Hunt published over 100 research and theoretical papers, and was editor of the ''Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology'' from 1950 and 1955. He was also an editor and contributor for ''Personality and the Behavior Disorders''.Hunt, J. McVicker (1961). ''Intelligence and Experience'', About the author. The Ronald Press Company, New York. LCC 61-15613.

References

External links

Joseph McVicker Hunt: 1906-1991
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunt, J. Mcvicker 1906 births 1991 deaths Educational psychologists Developmental psychologists Presidents of the American Psychological Association People from Scottsbluff, Nebraska University of Nebraska alumni Cornell University alumni Brown University alumni Brown University faculty