Women in Psychology Paper

Wo hands have made umteen contributions to the advancework forcet of psychological science, many of which have g superstar without nonice until recent durations, and any(prenominal) of which still goes unidentified in the discipline of psychology. The mention of women in the premature discipline of psychology usually refers to them as minor contributors to a orbit that at one sequence was predominantly dominated by men. Women of the time were subject to gender and martial prejudice (Stipkovich, 2011). One such women who thrived in the field of psychology despite of and considerablely callable to the discrimination women undergo in the 1900s is Leta Hollingworth.According to Stipkovich (2011), The remarkable path Leta Hollingworths life took her was subservient in becoming a significant figure in the business relationship of psychology of woman (Contributions to the field of Psychology). Background Born Leta Anna Stetter, in may of 1886 in Nebraska, she was the oldest of three children. Raised on her grandparents farm later on her mothers death and fathers abandonment following the birth of her youngest sibling. Leta Stetter get her early formal educational activity in a one-room log schoolhouse, an education she later described as excellent in every find (Miller, R.1990, para. 4). Leta graduated high school in 1902, at the age of 15 she was one of eight students in the class. In high school Leta showed a endowment for creative report which she was encouraged to develop in college. Leta enrol direct and be the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she quickly achieved a campus reputation in literature and creative writing and was designated Class Poet of the Class of 1906 (Miller, R. 1990, p. 145). While attending the university Leta met and became engaged to classmate enkindle Levi Hollingworth. get at graduated from the university before Leta and decided to do his graduate studies in brand-new York at Columbia University, Leta stayed i n Nebraska to finish her undergraduate rub down and graduated in 1906. Unable to start a career in writing as she originally intended due to financial problems, Leta took a dogma position in Nebraska and later joined Harry in New York the two were married on December 31, 1908. Leta attempt to get a job as a teacher in New York but was denied based solely on her matrimonial status. This was a very frustrating circumstance for the talented and educated graduate and led to the questioning of the role women play insociety (Stipkovich, 2011).Over time Leta went on to complete her graduate studies at Columbia receiving an M. A. in 1913, Ph. D. 1916. While complemental her studies in educational psychology at Columbia Leta had an opportunity to utilisation directly with Edward Lee Thorndike. According to Stipkovich (2011), With the environment finally allowing her to explore her schoolman interests, and questions about her own existence as a married woman, she prosecute the study o f womens psychology and new interests in keenness and intelligence (A shrimpy Background). Theoretical perspectiveLeta became interested in psychology later on questioning womens inferiority to men. After look foring the works of other psychologist she found just now one assertion that could be tested scientifically. This assertion was commonly cognize as the unevenness surmisal, (Benjamin, L. , 1990 p. 147). Held, L. (2010), states The variability hypothesis posited that men exhibit greater renewing than women on both physical and psychological traits, in essence suggesting that men occupied both the highest and lowest ends of the spectrum on any trait and women were cursed to mediocrity (para.4).In order to disprove this hypothesis Leta did some research at the Clearinghouse for Mental Defectives Hollingworth believed societal roles accounted for the differences, not innate differences (Held, L. 2010 p. 3). She conducted an experiment over a three month time period on b oth men and women from a behaviorist perspective which essential prove there was no decrease in womens performance during the course of their cycle. While teaching at Columbia Leta started to express an interest in the study of prodigious children.While working with these children she discovered most of them were averagely intelligent but suffered from adjustment problems due to adolescents. In 1928 Leta published The Psychology of the Adolescent once again through from a behaviorist perspective further research should children with high nous could be problem children, causing her to ask what special programs have been unquestionable for them in public schools? (Benjamin, L. , 1990). She worked on assessment tools for early identification of the intellectually indue, and inevitably her work led her to the development of educational methods for these children Benjamin, L., 1990).Contributions to the field of psychology Leta Hollingworth is a contributor to three specific fields of psychology. Letas recognition of the challenges faced by women set precedent to a new field of psychology the psychology of women. Barbaro (2002), Because of her work, future women would not have to deal with uncurbed acquisitions of innate mediocrity or menstrual disability in their out of bounds of scientific eminence (Contributions to Psychology).In 1921 Leta Hollingworth was cited in American Men of Science for her research on the psychology of women (Held, L. 2010 p. 15). The other field of psychology Leta Hollingworth was a great contributor to the psychology of the exceptional child which led to her much known involvement and influence in school psychology. Due to her studies on the endue children she was able to develop methods to recognize gifted children and aide in the development of a school curriculum better meeting their needs.Hollingworths writings on gifted children, special education, adolescence, and mental retardation were inspirational for over twenty year s (Miller, R. , 1990). In clinical psychology she disproved the variability hypothesis her examination on both male and female infant craniums proved that while the males were slightly larger if a difference in variability existed it favored females (Held, L. 2010 p. 4). After the disproving of the variability hypothesis Leta Hollingworth worked in the field of clinical psychology part-time for twenty years.Other contribution to psychology are renowned publishings such as Gifted Children Their Nature and elevate (1926) this book was based on the results of her study on gifted children and Children higher up 180 IQ (1942) this was Leta Hollingworths last publication and was completed after her death by her husband, Harry L. Hollingworth (Held, L. 2010 p. 7). Conclusion Leta Hollingworth was a women extraordinary for her time. She not let her troublesome childhood nix her from gaining an education instead she utilize her less than perfect up bring to develop a talent in creative writing.When she found herself unable to work doing what at the time seemed like her natural calling she went on to teach, only to find her marital status would prevent her from doing so. This turning point in her life was disapprove but, with the support of her husband went on to gain an education, and dismantle one of the theories that prevent her and other women of her time from equal treatment. Leta went on from their developing not only one but three types of psychology that had not yet been explored in-depth, the psychology of women, educational psychology, and the psychology of the gifted child.Her work in the field of psychology not only furthered the field it changed the way women were looked upon, and the education of children both gifted and non-gifted. Instead of becoming a victim of her era she went on to deform a pioneering female psychologist of her time were she to observe contemporary society, she would be soberly disappointed that in the past 50 years there has b een so little progress in changing societal attitudes toward the gifted, and that women, particularly gifted women, still face so many impediments to achievement and recognition (Silverman, L. K. 1992 p. 11).