William John Crozier
William John Crozier
Lead Section: William John Crozier ([ˈkrōZHər]; May 24, 1982- November 2, 1955) was an American psychologist who spent his time contributing to the field of psychology through his works in animal behaviour and sensory processes[1]
Crozier spent the time between 1918-1925 as a professor in different schools including the University of Illinois Medical School and the University of Chicago. In 1927, he became a professor at Harvard where he remained until he retired. He ran a General Physiology laboratory at the University of Harvard, which attracted many young researchers, most notable being B.F. Skinner [2]
Crozier spent his time studying the different types of tropisms, as well as the different factors that affected the behaviour of tropisms. Crozier came up with the “parametric analysis” of behaviour, which he believed to be his greatest contribution [3]. In terms of his work in the field of sensory processing, Crozier contributed to the Handbook of General Experimental Psychology, in 1934, by writing a chapter about chemoreception. Throughout his life, Crozier wrote a total of about 300 scientific papers. (cite= #3). He passed away in Belmont at the age of 63 due to a heart attack.
Education and Early Life
William John Crozier was born on May 24, 1892 in New York City to William George Crozier and Bessie Mackay. [4] Crozier started his education at the College of the City of New York, pursuing a degree in physical chemistry and biochemistry. He graduated his undergraduate degree in 1912 [1] before continuing his education in zoology at Harvard, graduating with a PhD in 1915. [1]
Influences
Academic Career
Military Career
Legacy
•born on May 24, 1892 in New York City
•son of William George Crozier and Bessie Mackay [5]
•he attended and graduated from the College of the City of New York in 1912, where he completed his undergraduate degree in physical chemistry and biochemistry [1]
• in 1915, he received his Ph.D. in zoology from Harvard, after which he spent some time doing research at the Bermuda Biological Station where he studied the behaviour of marine life. [1]
• he spent the time between 1918-1925 being a professor in different schools such as the University of Illinois Medical School as well as the University of Chicago. And in 1927, he became a professor at Harvard. [1]
•While in the biology department at Harvard, Crozier crossed paths with B.F. Skinner who seemed to take a liking to Crozier. Crozier was looking at how different forces in the environment could have an effect on the behavioural responses of organisms. Both Corzier and Skinner believed that by studying these behavioural responses, Crozier was in fact studying reflexes. [6]
•Crozier attracted many students to his general physiology lab, and in turn, he had a lot of help when doing research
•Crozier and his students divided their research into two main fields: the first having to do with tropisms, and the second having to do with studying the effects that temperature had on the actions in poikilothermic organisms, as well as its effects on biological oxidation. [1]
•work in tropism —
- He worked as an operations analyst during the war[7]
- He became Major General William Crozier and was cheif of ordinance[2]
- Wrote about nuclear power and the usefulness of nitrates[2]
- He wrote commentary on individuals' role in governemnt and what could be precursors to industrial/organizational psychology for the ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science[8]
- He later died of a heart attack in Belmont at 63 years old in 1955[1]
- another famous student, other than skinner, was Charles P. Winsor who develop the theory on winsorization. [9]
- He influenced skinner in many ways such as in the use of the word “organism”
- Skinner was influenced when he spent time with both Loeb and William crozier
- Loeb was interested in studying whole organism and was able to do this under Crozier. He was able to successfully conduct studies on animals without surgically opening them [10]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hoagland, Hudson; Mitchell, R.T. (March 1956). "William John Crozier: 1892-1955". The American Journal of Psychology. 69 (1): 135-138. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ a b c Crozier, Major general william (1925-03). "Giant Power and National Defense". The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 118 (1): 100–106. doi:10.1177/000271622511800120. ISSN 0002-7162.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Zusne, Leonard (1984). Biographical Dictionary of Psychology. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. p. 87. ISBN 0-313-24027-2. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ "Crozier, William John". American National Biography. Philip J. Pauly. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "Crozier, William John". American National Biography. Philip J. Pauly. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ Rachlin, Howard (1995). Burrhus Frederic Skinner (PDF). Washingon, D.C.: National Academic Press. p. 368-369. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
- ^ "William J. Crozier | People | The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments". waywiser.rc.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
- ^ Crozier, William (1920-1). "Labor's Interest in Administration". The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 91 (1): 153–158. doi:10.1177/000271622009100128. ISSN 0002-7162.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Cochran, William G. (May 1951). "Charles Paine Winsor: Editor of "Human Biology"". Human Biology. 23 (2). JSTOR 41447995
- ^ Moore, J (2005). "Some Historical and Conceptual Background to the Development of B.F Skinner's "Radical Behaviorism" -- Part 2". Journal of Mind and Behavior. 26: 95–124 – via JSTOR.