Harry Levi Hollingworth

(1880-1957)
American Psychologist


Influences

Career

  • Professor of Psychology in Barnard College, Columbia University

Ideas and Contributions

Harry Levi Hollingworth authored several texts on aspects related to psychology with interest applied to mental growth and decline, the psychology of thought, and vocational psychology. He sought to find unity and coherence in the account and relation of psychological facts themselves. Within the continuum of nature H. L. Hollingworth found the principle of redintegrative sequences, involving both “objective” and “subjective” events of the essence. For him, their study was the province of psychology, and it was towards this enterprise that he devoted much of his work.

H. L. Hollingworth examined the traditional and modern scientific methods of appraising human traits and aptitude. In his works he described and illustrated various test methods, rating scales, and inventories. He surveyed the problems and methods of adapting individuals vocationally in terms of their personal traits, aptitudes and attitudes. It is in the course of these works that he had a wide-ranging impact on the understanding of intelligence. In addition, H. L. Hollingworth endeavored to communicate a general understanding of the principles underlying the methods of mental measurement.

“A vocation is much more than a means of earning a living. Work has its economic aspect, to be sure, but even people who do not need to work are often noted for their activity. A vocation has many features, among which we may indicate the economic, the humanitarian, the esthetic, and the mental hygiene aspects. Some of these have a special importance for vocational psychology.” (Harry Levi HollingworthVocational Psychology and Character Analysis)

Publications

  • Psychology: Its Facts and Principles
  • Mental Growth and Decline
  • The Psychology of Thought
  • Judging Human Character
  • The Psychology of Functional Neuroses
  • Advertising and Selling; Principles of Appeal and Response
  • Vocational Psychology

References: 11, 12

Image Courtesy of the Archives of the History of American Psychology, The University of Akron