Biography of Hugo Münsterberg, Applied Psychology Pioneer

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At a Glance

Hugo Münsterberg is known as a pioneer of applied psychology, including industrial-organizational, clinical, and forensic psychology.

Here’s a biography of Münsterberg that includes his life and work, as well as some of his selected research and quotes.

What Exactly Do Industrial-Organizational Psychologists Do?

Early Life

Hugo Münsterberg was born in Danzig, Germany (now Gdansk, Poland), on June 1, 1863. His father was a merchant, and his mother was an artist. His family loved the arts, and Münsterberg was encouraged to explore music, literature, and art. He played the cello and wrote poetry.

When he was 12, Münsterberg’s mother passed away, and her death matured him from a boy to a young man. His father died a few years later, in 1880.

After graduating from the Gymnasium of Danzig in 1882, Münsterberg enrolled at the University of Leipzig. While he began studyingsocial psychology, Münsterberg later turned his focus to medicine. After psychology pioneerWilhelm Wundtencouraged him to become part of the psychology lab at the university, Münsterberg decided to devote himself to the study of psychology.

Under Wundt’s tutelage, Münsterberg earned his Ph.D. in psychology in 1885. He went on to get a medical degree at the University of Heidelberg in 1887.

The Origins of Psychology: History Through the Years

Career

In 1887, Münsterberg accepted a position as a private tutor and lecturer at the University of Freiburg.

Hugo MünsterbergThe story of the subconscious mind can be told in three words: there is none.

Hugo Münsterberg

The story of the subconscious mind can be told in three words: there is none.

In 1891, Münsterberg became an assistant professor at the University of Leipzig. The same year, he attended the first International Congress of Psychology in Paris, France, where he met James. The two continued to meet and correspond frequently.

In 1892, James asked Münsterberg to take charge of the psychology lab at Harvard.Since he didn’t speak English well, Münsterberg spent most of his time in the lab and published his work in German.

James McKeen Cattellsuggested that Münsterberg’s lab was “the most important in America.”

After three years, Münsterberg was offered a permanent position in the lab. He declined and instead went back to Europe. However, he returned to Harvard two years later and worked there for the rest of his life.

He had many professional achievements, such as being elected president of theAmerican Psychological Associationand the American Philosophical Association. He also served on the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was an exchange professor at the University of Berlin.

Throughout his career, Münsterberg was subject to praise but also disapproval. His support for Germany during World War I made Münsterberg the focus of considerable criticism in the press as well as from faculty members at Harvard. Two of his works,The Americans(1904)andAmerican Problems From the Point of View of a Psychologist(1910),were particularly critical of Americans.

On December 16, 1916, Hugo Münsterberg died suddenly of a massive cerebral hemorrhage, collapsing before he was able to finish delivering the opening sentence of his lecture at Radcliffe.

How Industrial-Organizational Psychology Helps Improve Workplaces

Contributions to Psychology

Münsterberg is noted for his influence on applied psychology, especially clinical, forensic, and industrial psychology. In fact, some consider Münsterberg the “father of industrial psychology.”

His 1909 paper, “Psychology and the Market,” suggested that psychology could be used for industrial applications, including management, vocational decisions, advertising, job performance, and employee motivation. He also developed many questionnaires to test the skills and abilities of employees.

Münsterberg’s research was summarized in “Psychology and Industrial Efficiency”(1913). In the book, he suggests that hiring workers with personalities and mental abilities that are best suited to certain types of work would be the best way to increase motivation, performance, and retention in the workplace.

Hugo Münsterberg is also well-known for his contributions to forensic psychology. His 1908 book,On the Witness Stand,detailed how psychological factors can influence the outcome of a trial. He wrote about many topics that are still of interest today, like problems with eyewitness testimony, false confessions, and interrogations.

While his influence on psychology is without question, Münsterberg’s views on women are frequently criticized. While he believed that women should receive a higher education, he felt that graduate studies were too difficult and demanding for them to undertake.

He also suggested women should not be allowed to serve on juries because they were “incapable of rational deliberation.”

These controversies may have contributed to the lack of attention paid to Münsterberg in psychology history books, but his ideas still shaped modern psychology.

A Brief Overview of the Field of Forensic Psychology

Selected Publications

Here are a few of Hugo Münsterberg’s most important works:

Why Forensic Psychology Is an Important Part of Crime Solving

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard University; Department of Psychology.Hugo Münsterberg.The Harvard Crimson.Amerika Institut formed.Associated Press.Munsterberg dies while lecturing.Cornell Daily Sun.Münsterberg, M.Hugo Münsterberg: His Life and Work (1922).Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.The early history virtual wing.Additional ReadingHothersall D.History of Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.; 1995.Munsterberg MAA.Hugo Munsterberg: His Life and Work. New York, NY: Appleton; 1922.Schultz DP, Schultz SE.A History of Modern Psychology.11th ed.Boston, MA: Cengage; 2015.Stern W.Hugo Munsterberg: In memoriam.J Appl Psychol. 1917;1 (2):186-188. doi:10.1037/H0074508

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard University; Department of Psychology.Hugo Münsterberg.The Harvard Crimson.Amerika Institut formed.Associated Press.Munsterberg dies while lecturing.Cornell Daily Sun.Münsterberg, M.Hugo Münsterberg: His Life and Work (1922).Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.The early history virtual wing.Additional ReadingHothersall D.History of Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.; 1995.Munsterberg MAA.Hugo Munsterberg: His Life and Work. New York, NY: Appleton; 1922.Schultz DP, Schultz SE.A History of Modern Psychology.11th ed.Boston, MA: Cengage; 2015.Stern W.Hugo Munsterberg: In memoriam.J Appl Psychol. 1917;1 (2):186-188. doi:10.1037/H0074508

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Harvard University; Department of Psychology.Hugo Münsterberg.The Harvard Crimson.Amerika Institut formed.Associated Press.Munsterberg dies while lecturing.Cornell Daily Sun.Münsterberg, M.Hugo Münsterberg: His Life and Work (1922).Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.The early history virtual wing.

Harvard University; Department of Psychology.Hugo Münsterberg.

The Harvard Crimson.Amerika Institut formed.

Associated Press.Munsterberg dies while lecturing.Cornell Daily Sun.

Münsterberg, M.Hugo Münsterberg: His Life and Work (1922).

Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.The early history virtual wing.

Hothersall D.History of Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.; 1995.Munsterberg MAA.Hugo Munsterberg: His Life and Work. New York, NY: Appleton; 1922.Schultz DP, Schultz SE.A History of Modern Psychology.11th ed.Boston, MA: Cengage; 2015.Stern W.Hugo Munsterberg: In memoriam.J Appl Psychol. 1917;1 (2):186-188. doi:10.1037/H0074508

Hothersall D.History of Psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.; 1995.

Munsterberg MAA.Hugo Munsterberg: His Life and Work. New York, NY: Appleton; 1922.

Schultz DP, Schultz SE.A History of Modern Psychology.11th ed.Boston, MA: Cengage; 2015.

Stern W.Hugo Munsterberg: In memoriam.J Appl Psychol. 1917;1 (2):186-188. doi:10.1037/H0074508

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