The Psychobiographical Study of Psychologists

Abstract

Abstract Perceptive observers have long noticed that there is an intimate connection between the personal life of psychologists—their experiences, troubles, preoccupations, and conflicts—and the psychological ideas and theories they create. Often this connection is spoken of as surprising or humorous. Henry A. Murray (personal communication, 1975), himself an influential psychological theorist, was talking with me once about Erik Erikson, whom he had known for many years. He pointed out that Erikson ‘s theory of human development did not fit everyone but applied to Erikson and people like him very well. Then he chuckled and, referring to theories of human development in general, said, “They ‘reall autobiographies, every one of them. “