Herman Witkin
Early Life and Education
Herman A. Witkin was born on April 2, 1916, in New York City. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. His father was a tailor and his mother was a homemaker. Witkin's interest in psychology was sparked during his undergraduate studies at the City College where he majored in psychology and graduated in 1937.
Witkin continued his education at Columbia University, where he earned a master's degree in psychology in 1939. He then pursued doctoral studies at the same institution under the supervision of notable psychologist, Gardner Murphy. Witkin's doctoral dissertation, completed in 1942, focused on the perceptual and cognitive styles of individuals, a topic that would become a central theme in his later research.
Career and Research
After earning his doctorate, Witkin worked as a research psychologist for the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. His work during this period led to the development of the Embedded Figures Test (EFT), a psychological assessment tool designed to measure an individual's cognitive style, particularly their ability to perceive a simple figure within a complex, embedded context. This work laid the foundation for his later research on individual differences in perceptual and cognitive styles.
In 1946, Witkin joined the staff of the New York State Psychiatric Institute, where he continued his research on perceptual and cognitive styles. During his time at the institute, he developed the concept of "field dependence-independence", a cognitive style that describes the extent to which an individual's perception is influenced by the surrounding context.
Witkin's research on cognitive styles has had significant implications for various fields, including education, psychology, and human resources. His work has contributed to our understanding of how individuals process information and make decisions, and has informed the development of educational strategies and psychological assessments.
Field Dependence-Independence
One of Witkin's most significant contributions to psychology is his concept of field dependence-independence. This cognitive style refers to the extent to which an individual's perception and thinking are influenced by the surrounding context. Field-dependent individuals tend to perceive and think about information in a holistic, context-dependent manner, while field-independent individuals tend to focus on individual components and are less influenced by the surrounding context.
Witkin developed several psychological tests to measure field dependence-independence, including the Rod and Frame Test (RFT) and the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT). These tests have been widely used in psychological research and have contributed to our understanding of individual differences in cognitive styles.
Later Life and Legacy
Witkin retired from the New York State Psychiatric Institute in 1981. He continued to write and conduct research until his death on February 20, 1979. His work has had a lasting impact on the field of psychology, particularly in the areas of cognitive and educational psychology. His research on cognitive styles has informed our understanding of how individuals perceive, process, and interpret information, and has implications for education, career counseling, and human resources.