Gardner Murphy
Encyclopedia
Gardner Murphy was an American psychologist specialising in social and personality psychology, and parapsychology. His career highlights included serving as president of the American Psychological Association
, and of the British Society for Psychical Research
.
Murphy was born on July 8, 1895 in Chillicothe, Ohio, US. Upon graduating with a B.A. from Yale University in 1916, Murphy attended Harvard University, working with L. T. Troland
in a telepathy experiment, and achieving his M.A. in 1917. Murphy succeeded Troland as holder of the Hodgson Fellowship in Psychical Research at Harvard University. After the war, in 1919, Murphy continued his studies at Columbia University, working towards his Ph.D., and combined this, until it was awarded in 1923, with work under the Hodgson Fellowship. This included sittings with the medium Leonore Piper
, and collaborating with French chemist and psychical researcher René Warcollier
in a transatlantic telepathy experiment. The latter involved 35 trials, conducted over the course of two years, with groups in Paris and New York alternating the roles of sender and percipient. From 1921-1925, he served as lecturer in psychology at Columbia University. In 1925, Clark University hosted a symposium on psychical research, and, together with Harvard psychologist William McDougall
, Murphy argued for the respect of the field as an academic discipline, while recognizing the difficulties of scientific acceptance and experimentation. From 1925-1929, he continued at Columbia University in the capacity of instructor and assistant professor in psychology. He was re-appointed as Hodgson Fellow at Harvard in 1937. From 1940-1942 he was professor and chairman of the Department of Psychology at City College
in New York. From 1952, he worked as director of research for the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas. He was elected to the presidency of the American Psychological Association
in 1944. He subsequently served as the President of the British Society for Psychical Research
in 1949 (which he had joined in 1927), and was Director of the Parapsychology Foundation in 1951.
Murphy authored several texts in psychology, including Historical introduction to modern psychology (1929; 1949), Personality (1947), and Human potentialities (1958). He was a contributor to personality, social and clinical psychology and an early exponent of humanistic psychology
. During these years, he continued his association with psychical research, including sitting on the council of the American Society for Psychical Research
and serving as chair of its research committee; serving as an editor of the Journal of Parapsychology
(1939–1941);, speaking at professional symposia on psychical research; writing report, review and critical articles in general scientific, psychological as well as parapsychological journals; supporting (through his own book royalties) experimental studies by J. G. Pratt
at Columbia (1935–1937); authoring an introductory review to the field, The challenge of psychical research (1961), as well as William James and psychical research (1960) (with R. Ballou) and a 20-page article on parapsychology for the Encyclopedia of Psychology (1946); editing an English-language publication of Warcollier's reports (1938); and writing forewords for several parapsychological monographs.
Although illness repeatedly interrupted his research, Murphy pursued an experimental program that addressed psychological processes involved in parapsychological phenomena. He especially explored motivational, personality and creative processes. His work also promoted use of graphemic methods of participant response, and he argued for abiding respect for investigating the question of the postmortem survival of human personality.
American Psychological Association
The 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...
, and of the British Society for Psychical Research
Society for Psychical Research
The Society for Psychical Research is a non-profit organisation in the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is to understand "events and abilities commonly described as psychic or paranormal by promoting and supporting important research in this area" and to "examine allegedly paranormal phenomena...
.
Murphy was born on July 8, 1895 in Chillicothe, Ohio, US. Upon graduating with a B.A. from Yale University in 1916, Murphy attended Harvard University, working with L. T. Troland
Leonard T. Troland
Leonard T. Troland was an American physicist.He graduated in 1912 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in biochemistry. He then studied psychology at Harvard, where he obtained a Ph.D. in 1915. He worked for a year as a Harvard Travelling fellow at the General Electric...
in a telepathy experiment, and achieving his M.A. in 1917. Murphy succeeded Troland as holder of the Hodgson Fellowship in Psychical Research at Harvard University. After the war, in 1919, Murphy continued his studies at Columbia University, working towards his Ph.D., and combined this, until it was awarded in 1923, with work under the Hodgson Fellowship. This included sittings with the medium Leonore Piper
Leonora Piper
Leonora Piper was a famous trance medium in the area of Spiritualism. Piper was the subject of intense interest and investigation by American and British psychic research associations during the early 20th century, most notably William James and the Society for Psychical Research. She claimed to...
, and collaborating with French chemist and psychical researcher René Warcollier
René Warcollier
René Warcollier was a French chemical engineer and parapsychologist. He was a founder and president of the Institut Métapsychique, and edited and wrote theoretical and experimental reports for its journal.-Biography:...
in a transatlantic telepathy experiment. The latter involved 35 trials, conducted over the course of two years, with groups in Paris and New York alternating the roles of sender and percipient. From 1921-1925, he served as lecturer in psychology at Columbia University. In 1925, Clark University hosted a symposium on psychical research, and, together with Harvard psychologist William McDougall
William McDougall
William McDougall may refer to:*William McDougall , Canadian lawyer and politician from Ontario*William McDougall , Canadian shipbuilder and politician from Nova Scotia...
, Murphy argued for the respect of the field as an academic discipline, while recognizing the difficulties of scientific acceptance and experimentation. From 1925-1929, he continued at Columbia University in the capacity of instructor and assistant professor in psychology. He was re-appointed as Hodgson Fellow at Harvard in 1937. From 1940-1942 he was professor and chairman of the Department of Psychology at City College
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
in New York. From 1952, he worked as director of research for the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas. He was elected to the presidency of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The 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...
in 1944. He subsequently served as the President of the British Society for Psychical Research
Society for Psychical Research
The Society for Psychical Research is a non-profit organisation in the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is to understand "events and abilities commonly described as psychic or paranormal by promoting and supporting important research in this area" and to "examine allegedly paranormal phenomena...
in 1949 (which he had joined in 1927), and was Director of the Parapsychology Foundation in 1951.
Murphy authored several texts in psychology, including Historical introduction to modern psychology (1929; 1949), Personality (1947), and Human potentialities (1958). He was a contributor to personality, social and clinical psychology and an early exponent of humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology
Humanistic psychology is a psychological perspective which rose to prominence in the mid-20th century, drawing on the work of early pioneers like Carl Rogers and the philosophies of existentialism and phenomenology...
. During these years, he continued his association with psychical research, including sitting on the council of the American Society for Psychical Research
American Society for Psychical Research
The American Society for Psychical Research is an organisation dedicated to parapsychology based in New York, where it maintains offices and a library. It is open to interested members of the public to join, and has a website...
and serving as chair of its research committee; serving as an editor of the Journal of Parapsychology
Journal of Parapsychology
The Journal of Parapsychology is a semi-annual peer-reviewed publication "devoted primarily to the original publication of experimental results and other research findings in extrasensory perception and psychokinesis." It also contains reviews of "literature relevant to parapsychology, criticisms...
(1939–1941);, speaking at professional symposia on psychical research; writing report, review and critical articles in general scientific, psychological as well as parapsychological journals; supporting (through his own book royalties) experimental studies by J. G. Pratt
Joseph Gaither Pratt
Joseph Gaither Pratt was an American psychologist who specialized in the field of parapsychology. Among his research interests were extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, mediumship, poltergeists and psi....
at Columbia (1935–1937); authoring an introductory review to the field, The challenge of psychical research (1961), as well as William James and psychical research (1960) (with R. Ballou) and a 20-page article on parapsychology for the Encyclopedia of Psychology (1946); editing an English-language publication of Warcollier's reports (1938); and writing forewords for several parapsychological monographs.
Although illness repeatedly interrupted his research, Murphy pursued an experimental program that addressed psychological processes involved in parapsychological phenomena. He especially explored motivational, personality and creative processes. His work also promoted use of graphemic methods of participant response, and he argued for abiding respect for investigating the question of the postmortem survival of human personality.
Sources/Further reading
- Pleasants, H. (Ed.). (1964). Biographical dictionary of parapsychology. New York City: Helix.
- Murphy, G. (1980). Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, 74, 26-37.
- Murphy, G., & Dale, L. A. (1961). Challenge of Psychical Research: A Primer of Parapsychology (World Perspectives series). New York, NY, US: Harper.
- Peatman, J. G., & Hartley, E. L. (Eds.). (1960). Festschrift for Gardner Murphy. New York, NY, US: Harper.
- Schmeidler, G. R. (1980). Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, 74, 1-14.