Hans Eysenck

Hans Eysenck‏‎ (1916–1997) was a psychologist of German-British descent, known for his work in the field of personality psychology and intelligence. He was a professor at the University of London and the director of its psychological department at the Institute of Psychiatry, now part of King's College London.

Early Life and Education

Eysenck was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1916. He moved to England in 1934 due to the rise of Nazism and completed his education there. He received his PhD from the University of London in 1940.

Career

Eysenck's career was marked by his significant contributions to the field of psychology. He developed a dimensional model of personality, which is still widely used in psychology today. This model, known as the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, measures personality traits along three dimensions: extraversion-introversion, neuroticism-stability, and psychoticism.

In addition to his work on personality, Eysenck also conducted research on intelligence. He proposed a theory of intelligence that emphasized the importance of genetic factors and argued against the prevailing view that environment was the primary determinant of intelligence.

Controversies

Eysenck's work was not without controversy. His views on the genetic basis of intelligence and his research on race and intelligence were widely criticized. He also faced criticism for his work on cancer and smoking, in which he suggested that personality traits could influence cancer outcomes.

Legacy

Despite the controversies, Eysenck's work has had a lasting impact on psychology. His dimensional model of personality has been influential in shaping modern personality research, and his views on intelligence have sparked ongoing debate in the field.

See Also

• Personality psychology
• Intelligence
• Eysenck Personality Questionnaire
• Race and intelligence
• Cancer
• Smoking