History Track at EPA

Conferences, Opinion

Wade PickrenThe first day of the new history track at the conference of the Eastern Psychological Association conference (in Brooklyn, NY) was a big hit. The highlight of the day was the session by EPA Historian Wade Pickren on the life and career of psychologist and anthropologist Otto Klineberg. Klineberg is best known for his “radical” assertion in the 1930s that races do not differ in intelligence. Most of Klineberg’s academic career was at Columbia University in New York City, though he traveled widely.

There were also two paper sessions, and invited speaker Suzanne Ouelette spoke on the career of African-American psychologist Robert White.

Saturday, “yours truly” will be giving a paper on the history of evolutionary thought in American psychology. There will also be a symposium on women and leadership in psychology, a symposium on the history of psychology in New York City, and a paper session. In addition, Alexandra Rutherford will be giving an address on B. F. Skinner.

About Christopher Green

Professor of Psychology at York University (Toronto). Former editor of the Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences. Creator of the "Classics in the History of Psychology" website and of the "This Week in the History of Psychology" podcast series.