William McDougall

William McDougall (1871-1938) is a British-born American Psychologist

Influenced by: Galton
Students: Burt
Time Period: The Great Schools' Influence

Education:
Cambridge University
Oxford University
Gottingen

Career:
University of London
Oxford University
Harvard University
Duke University
Ideas and Interests

William McDougall is considered by some to have been the foremost psychologist of all English-speaking countries. He has contributed significantly to more branches and departments of psychology than anyone else writing in English. He is the exponent of hormic psychology, the central idea being that there is an end or purpose which goads us to action, without any real knowledge of its nature, and often without benefit or even thought of pleasure. Human progress can only be determined in terms of "horme" or "drive". He theorized that human behavior is determined by both instinctive and intentional strivings. His chief difficulties lay in proving, or even explaining, interactionism in a physical world; his belief in free will; and his commitment to the theory of the transmission of acquired characteristics.

Publications:
Introduction to Social Psychology
Body and Mind
Outline of Psychology
Outline of Abnormal Psychology