Georg Elias Müller
Encyclopedia
Georg Elias Müller was a significant early German experimental psychologist.
, Saxony
, he completed his doctorate
in 1873 under the supervision of Hermann Lotze in Göttingen. He was also educated at the universities of Leipzig
and Berlin
. In 1870 he entered the German army as a volunteer, and took part in the Franco-Prussian War
.
On returning to academic life he became Privatdozent
at Göttingen (1876), and professor of philosophy at Czernowitz (1880). In April 1881 he succeeded to Lotze's Göttingen professorship and established one of the first few experimental psychology laboratories in the world (along with Wilhelm Wundt
and Carl Stumpf
). He was particularly prominent in reaction time research, as well as psychophysics and color theory. Muller studied a portion of the interference theory
, retroactive interference
Muller also invented the memory drum; a device used for verbal learning research. Muller said if you were motivated to do something, you can learn it faster.
Biography
Born in GrimmaGrimma
Grimma is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany on the left bank of the Mulde, southeast of Leipzig. Founded in c. 1170, it is part of the Leipzig district.- Location :...
, Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, he completed his doctorate
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1873 under the supervision of Hermann Lotze in Göttingen. He was also educated at the universities of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
and Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
. In 1870 he entered the German army as a volunteer, and took part in the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
.
On returning to academic life he became Privatdozent
Privatdozent
Privatdozent or Private lecturer is a title conferred in some European university systems, especially in German-speaking countries, for someone who pursues an academic career and holds all formal qualifications to become a tenured university professor...
at Göttingen (1876), and professor of philosophy at Czernowitz (1880). In April 1881 he succeeded to Lotze's Göttingen professorship and established one of the first few experimental psychology laboratories in the world (along with Wilhelm Wundt
Wilhelm Wundt
Wilhelm Maximilian Wundt was a German physician, psychologist, physiologist, philosopher, and professor, known today as one of the founding figures of modern psychology. He is widely regarded as the "father of experimental psychology"...
and Carl Stumpf
Carl Stumpf
Carl Stumpf was a German philosopher and psychologist.Born in Wiesentheid, he studied with Franz Brentano and Hermann Lotze...
). He was particularly prominent in reaction time research, as well as psychophysics and color theory. Muller studied a portion of the interference theory
Interference theory
-History:Bergström, a German psychologist, is credited as conducting the first study regarding interference in 1892. His experiment was similar to the Stroop task and required subjects to sort two decks of card with words into two piles. When the location was changed for the second pile, sorting...
, retroactive interference
Muller also invented the memory drum; a device used for verbal learning research. Muller said if you were motivated to do something, you can learn it faster.
Works
- Zur Theorie der sinnlichen Aufmerksamkeit (“On the theory of sensory awareness,” 1873)
- Zur Grundlegung der Psychophysik (“On foundations for psychophysics,” 1878)
- Zur Theorie der Muskelcontraction (“On the theory of muscle contractions,” 1891)
- Zur Analyse der Unterschiedsempfindlichkeit, with L. G. Martin (“On the analysis of difference perception,” 1899)
- Experimentelle Beiträge zur Lehre vom Gedächtnis, with Pilzeeker (“Experimental contributions to the science of memory,” 1900)
External links
- http://www.chss.montclair.edu/psychology/haupt/shaper2a.html