Arthur L. Benton
Encyclopedia
Arthur Lester Benton was a neuropsychologist and Emeritus Professor of Neurology
and Psychology
at the University of Iowa
.
in 1931, his A.M. from Oberlin College in 1933 and his Ph.D. from Columbia University
in 1935. He established a Neuropsychology Laboratory in the Neurology Department at the University of Iowa School of Medicine in the 1940s; the lab remains and now bears his name. While teaching at Iowa, Benton supervised the doctoral thesis of a young Albert Bandura
. He was the author of numerous books and the creator of a number of neuropsychological testing instruments, including the Benton Visual Retention Test
(BVRT). His son, Raymond S. Benton married Mary Kay Loftus in 1968 in Iowa
. Arthur died in Glenview, Illinois
from complications of emphysema
.
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
and Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
.
Biography
He received his A.B. from Oberlin CollegeOberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
in 1931, his A.M. from Oberlin College in 1933 and his Ph.D. from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1935. He established a Neuropsychology Laboratory in the Neurology Department at the University of Iowa School of Medicine in the 1940s; the lab remains and now bears his name. While teaching at Iowa, Benton supervised the doctoral thesis of a young Albert Bandura
Albert Bandura
Albert Bandura is a psychologist and the David Starr Jordan Professor Emeritus of Social Science in Psychology at Stanford University...
. He was the author of numerous books and the creator of a number of neuropsychological testing instruments, including the Benton Visual Retention Test
Benton Visual Retention Test
The Benton Visual Retention Test is an individually administered test for ages 8-adult that measures visual perception and visual memory . It can also be used to help identify possible learning disabilities. The child is shown 10 designs, one at a time, and asked to reproduce each one as exactly...
(BVRT). His son, Raymond S. Benton married Mary Kay Loftus in 1968 in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. Arthur died in Glenview, Illinois
Glenview, Cook County, Illinois
Glenview is a suburban village located approximately north of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 41,847...
from complications of emphysema
Emphysema
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the tissues necessary to support the physical shape and function of the lungs are destroyed. It is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary...
.
Awards and honors
- Distinguished Professional Contribution Award from the American Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological AssociationThe American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
(1978) - Outstanding Scientific Contribution of the International Neuropsychological Society (1981)
- Samuel Torrey Orton Award of the Orton Dyslexia Society (1982)
- Distinguished Service and Outstanding Contribution Award of the American Board of Professional PsychologyAmerican Board of Professional PsychologyThe American Board of Professional Psychology was formed in 1947 and was originally known as the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology...
(1985) - First speaker in an annual series of lectures initiated by the New York NeuropsychologyNeuropsychologyNeuropsychology studies the structure and function of the brain related to specific psychological processes and behaviors. The term neuropsychology has been applied to lesion studies in humans and animals. It has also been applied to efforts to record electrical activity from individual cells in...
Group and the Psychology Section of the New York Academy of SciencesNew York Academy of SciencesThe New York Academy of Sciences is the third oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, non-profit organization with more than members in 140 countries, the Academy’s mission is to advance understanding of science and technology...
, featuring important figures in the development of neuropsychology, subsequently named The Arthur L. Benton Lecture in his honor.(1986) - Distinguished Clinical Neuropsychological Award of the National Academy of Neuropsychology (1989)
- Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Application of Psychology from the American Psychological Foundation, for which the citation reads: "For lifetime contributions that include pioneering clinical studies of brain-behavior relations. He introduced novel and objective psychological assessment techniques that expanded our understanding of the difficulties manifested by neurologically compromised patients. He broadened the applications of psychology and in the process opened up a new field of study and practice, clinical neuropsychology." (1992)