PSYCH111_Lecture3_2025

What is physiognomy considered to be?

The study of the systematic correspondence of psychological characteristics to facial features or body structure.

Who is the person most often associated with physiognomy?

Lavater, from the late 1700s.

What does phrenology attempt to determine?

It makes abstractions about an individual’s character and personality from the bumps of their skull.

What did the Anatomy Acts of 1832 in the UK and 1831 in the US aim to achieve?

To prevent serial killings for anatomical material and make it more readily available for researchers and medical schools.

What was Wagner's contribution to the study of brains?

He systematically began collecting and studying brains, rather than just skulls, around 1838.

What were cerebral biographies?

Publications that focused on brain size, weight, and the complexity of gyri and sulci, continuing the tradition of hagiographies.

What type of complexity did anatomists refer to as the 'Gauss' type?

The pattern of gyri and sulci in terms of complexity.

What societal implications arose from brain measurements?

They supported social and cultural hierarchies and contributed to arguments against women's rights to education and voting.

Who faced ridicule for stating that women's brains are, on average, lighter than men's?

Professor Bischoff of St. Petersburg.

What methodological flaws were identified in early studies comparing brains?

Small sample sizes and the studies were not conducted in a blind manner.

Who were the three whistleblowers that fought against flawed brain measurement usage?

C.U. Ariëns Kappers, Franklin P. Mall, and Burt Green Wilder.

What did Ariëns Kappers do during World War II?

He created reports to help Jewish people evade Nazi criteria based on craniometric analyses.

What was Wilder's view regarding the differences in brain anatomy based on race?

He argued against using minor differences to deny rights and emphasized moral courage over anatomical differences.

What was the impact of Wilder's presentations and articles?

They highlighted the flawed methodologies and challenged the narratives supporting racial inferiority.

What did Helen Gardener argue in her work related to brain size and mental capacity?

That women’s mental capacity could be equal to men’s, as evidenced by her brain's weight being the same as Wilder's.

What significant finding was reported in the media regarding Gardener and Wilder's brains?

That both brains weighed the same, providing evidence against the notion of inherent gender differences in brain capacity.

What was the focus of Gardener's 1888 manuscript 'Sex in Brain'?

It summarized her findings from studying brains and interviews with neuroanatomists.

What did Gardener conclude about the assessment of female brains?

That there has never been a thorough examination of remarkable women’s brains compared to those of notable men.

What does the term 'mismeasurement' refer to in the context of early brain studies?

The inaccuracies in measuring and interpreting brain characteristics due to biased methodologies.

What was the consequence of the flawed measurements described by Mall?

He concluded that many of the early racial and sexual differences asserted based on anatomical data were likely invalid.