Roger Wolcott Sperry

Roger Wolcott Sperry (August 20, 1913 – April 17, 1994) was an American neuropsychologist, neurobiologist and Nobel laureate who, together with David Hunter Hubel and Torsten Nils Wiesel, won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work with split-brain research.

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Sperry was born in Hartford, Connecticut, to Francis Bushnell and Florence Kraemer Sperry. He completed his bachelor's degree in English Literature from Oberlin College in 1935, and received his master's degree in Psychology from the same institution in 1937. He earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Chicago in 1941.

Career[edit | edit source]

Sperry's most famous experiments involved the severing of the corpus callosum, the large bundle of nerves that connects the two hemispheres of the brain. He found that when each hemisphere was isolated and unable to communicate with the other, they responded differently to stimuli, proving that the hemispheres have different functions.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Sperry's research has had a profound impact on the understanding of the brain, particularly in terms of the different functions of the left and right hemispheres. His work has also influenced the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy of mind.

Awards and honors[edit | edit source]

In addition to the Nobel Prize, Sperry was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1989. He was also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical Society.

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Nobel Prize Biography

Roger Wolcott Sperry Resources
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