AP Psychology People to Know

Alfred Adler

A Neo-Freudian who emphasized parenting styles and the inferiority complex.

Mary Ainsworth

Studied early emotional attachment through "The Strange Situation" experiment.

Gordon Allport

Classified personality traits into cardinal, central, and secondary traits.

Albert Bandura

Conducted the Bobo doll study, explaining social learning theory.

Aaron Beck

Father of cognitive therapy, known for the cognitive triad of depression.

Alfred Binet

Developed the first widely used intelligence test and the IQ formula.

Paul Broca

Discovered Broca's area, linked to speech production.

Raymond Cattell

Identified 16 personality traits using factor analysis.

Noam Chomsky

Proposed the theory of universal grammar in linguistics.

Hermann Ebbinghaus

Created the forgetting curve, showing the exponential nature of forgetting.

Paul Ekman

Studied facial expressions and identified six universal emotions.

Albert Ellis

Founded rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) to challenge irrational beliefs.

Erik Erikson

Known for psychosocial development stages based on Freud's theories.

Hans Eysenck

Proposed two dimensions of personality:extraversion and neuroticism.

Sigmund Freud

Father of psychoanalysis, introduced concepts like the unconscious mind and psychosexual stages.

Solomon Asch

Known for experiments on conformity, demonstrating the influence of group pressure on behavior.

Phineas Gage

Case study showing brain damage's effect on personality.

Howard Gardner

Developed the theory of multiple intelligences, opposing general intelligence.

Carol Gilligan

Criticized Kohlberg's theory of moral development as male-centered.

Francis Galton

Studied nature vs. nurture, emphasizing genetics.

Daniel Goleman

known for emotional intelligence theory, EQ’s importance

Harry Harlow

studied attachment in monkeys, emphasizing contact comfort

Ernest Hilgard

researched hypnosis, proposed the “hidden observer” theory

karen horney

focused on parental indifference and neurosis

William James

emphasized the functional approach to psychology

William James and Carl-Lange

Proposed James-Lange theory of emotion

Carl Jung

believed in the collective unconscious and studied persona

Garcia and Koelling

discovered taste aversion

Lawrence Kohlberg

developed stages of moral development theory

Elizabeth Loftus

studied false memory formation and misinformation effect

Konrad Lorenz

studied imprinting in animals

Abraham Maslow

Founded humanistic psychology and proposed hierarchy of needs

Stanley Milgram

conducted obedience experiments, showing the power of authority

Ivan Pavlov

Discovered classical conditioning with experiments on dogs

Jean Piaget

defined stages of cognitive development in children

carl rogers

developed client centered therapy, emphasizing self-concept

Hermann Rorshach

created the Rorshac inkblot test

David Rosenhan

conducted the “insanity” experiment in mental hospitals

Martin Seligman

studied learned helplessness and positive psychology

Hans Selye

proposed general adaptation syndrome

Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer

developed two-factor theory of emotion

B.F. Skinner

associated with operant conditioning and Skinner box

Charles Spearman

proposed general intelligence theory

Robert Sternberg

distinguished analytical, creative, and practical intelligence

George Sperling

studied iconic sensory memory

Edward L Thorndike

Known for the law of effect in behavioral psychology

Edward Tolman

studied latent learning

John Watson

established behaviorism, conducted “little albert” experiment

Ernst Webber

known for sensation and difference thresholds

Benjamin Whorf

proposed linguistic relativity theory

Wlhelm Wundt

established the first psychology laboratory, focused on introspection

Philip Zimbardo

conducted the Stanford prison experiment, revealing the power of roles