14 men

Phineas Gage

Demonstrated that personality and impulse control depend on the frontal lobe.

H.M. (Henry Molaison)

His case showed that the hippocampus is required for forming new memories, leading to anterograde amnesia.

Thomas Willis

Early localization theorist; asserted that specific brain damage leads to specific behavioral effects.

Jean-Pierre Flourens

Proposed the aggregate field theory, suggesting that the brain functions as a whole with spread-out functions.

John Hughlings Jackson

Introduced the concept of topographic organization, illustrating that the cortex maps the body.

Paul Broca

Identified that speech production is localized to the left frontal cortex.

Golgi

Suggested that the brain is a syncytium and developed a staining method for neurons.

Ramon y Cajal

Formulated the neuron doctrine, stating that the brain is made up of individual neurons.

Korbinian Brodmann

Divided the cerebral cortex into 52 areas based on cellular structure.

Wilder Penfield

Utilized brain stimulation to create the motor and sensory homunculus.

William James

Known as the Father of American Psychology; associated with functionalism.

Edward Thorndike

Formulated the law of effect, stating that rewarded behaviors are likely to be repeated.

John Watson

A key proponent of behaviorism, emphasizing that only observable behavior matters.

George Miller

Rejected behaviorism, contributing to the cognitive revolution by insisting that mental processes matter.