Harvey A. Carr
| Harvey A. Carr | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 30, 1873 Morris, Illinois, United States |
| Died |
June 21, 1954 (aged 81) Culver, Indiana, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Fields | Psychology |
| Institutions |
University of Chicago Pratt Institute |
| Alma mater | University of Chicago |
| Doctoral advisor | James Rowland Angell |
| Known for | Kerplunk experiment |
| Influences |
John B. Watson James Rowland Angell John Dewey |
Harvey A. Carr (April 30. 1873 – June 21, 1954), a founding father of functionalist psychology, was renowned for a methodical and thorough approach to his science. His work was largely devoted to studies of animal cognition and perception. Carr collaborated with John B. Watson on his most well-known project: the famous Kerplunk experiment. Carr held his post as chairman of the Psychology department at the University of Chicago from 1926-1938. He also served as the president of the American Psychological Association in 1926.
Harvey A. Carr was born in Morris, Illinois on April 30, 1873 to Hamilton Carr and Bell Garden.
He decided that psychology was not the route for him and chose to become a science teacher at the University of Harvard instead. Notably, he was not given the middle initial "A" at birth but instead chose it for himself later in life to round out his signature. Carr was a tall, slim man with a quick wit and a reserved, humble presence. His parents were free-thinkers who encouraged their son to make his own decisions about religion, education, and career. Carr states in his autobiography that the local community "firmly believed in the value of book learning—in so far as its acquisition did not interfere with the serious pursuits of life." With a thirst for knowledge even in these early years, Carr supplemented the teachings provided in his high school and taught himself physics, algebra, and chemistry from textbooks. Though college education was not typical or expected in the community, Carr was driven to learn more.
At the age of 18, Carr became a student of DePauw University's preparatory department. He was able to complete a three-year course in two years by taking extra classes and performing extra work in a district school. Carr entered college after completing prep school, and chose to remain at DePauw. Though he had not yet developed specific vocational goals, he felt that the opportunity to learn and sample several subjects was a valuable privilege. Carr opted to major in mathematics, which he found stimulating and absorbing. As his later research in psychology is marked by precision and objectivity, it is perhaps unsurprising that he was taken with mathematics in his early college days. Carr himself admits that this passion likely influenced his approach. He continued in this pursuit until he began to study differential equations; the difficulty of the subject made him doubt his mathematical prowess. Carr took up the study of history, which developed into a lifelong interest. He considered both physics and biology while seeking a new major, though both subjects were poorly supported by the university and the latter was considered to be taboo by the "authorities." The nature of biological study and basis in evolutionary theory were frowned upon in the distinctly religious university. Carr felt repressed by DePauw's religious stance against evolution, and became distrustful of those who would oppose scientific study. Still, he made respectable grades in all of his various subjects and had little concern about his future vocation. At this time, he considered a possible future in law, and decided that it would be best to work and save up prior to attending law school.
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