Thomas Sigsgaard

Thomas Jensen Sigsgaard (born August 9, 1909 in Kås , Son Jetsmart ; † December 14, 1997 ) was a Danish psychologist . Through lectures, speeches in the press and in popular TV programs about children, he had a major influence on the education debate in Denmark in the 20th century.

Life

Sigsgaard had been a trained teacher at the Ministry of State since 1931. He then studied psychology from 1933 to 1946. From 1940 he was employed as a school psychologist in Copenhagen.

Sigsgaard was involved in the Danish resistance movement. After the end of the German occupation , he traveled to Denmark for psychological studies. The study documents a connection between severe problems in childhood and the test subjects' resilience during the war. The report received international attention.

From 1956 to 1957 he was in the service of UNESCO as an advisor to the Indian government on school issues. In 1958 Sigsgaard became head of the department for educational psychology / basic research at the National Pedagogical Institute. In 1960 he received a professorship in developmental psychology at the Danish Pedagogical University (now the Danish University of Education). He held the professorship until 1974. Thomas Sigsgaard also took part in international bodies: He was a member of the International Council of the New Education Fellowship from 1949 to 1967, President of the Society for International Cooperation 1963 to 1967, member of the Council for Technical Cooperation with the Developing Countries 1963 to 1969 and of the Danish UNESCO National Committee (Executive Committee) from 1964 to 1967. He was a member of the Cooperation Committee for Social Sciences and Research Council of the Institute for Development Research.

Thomas Sigsgaard is the brother of the children's book author Jens Sigsgaard (1910–1991). He is related to the former Folketing MP Erik Sigsgaard (* 1938).

Publications (selection)

• Børn and psykologi: hvor står vi - hvad ved man? Hans Reitzels Forlag, Copenhagen 1953.
• Psykologisk undersøgelse af mandlige landssvigere i Danmark under besættelsen. Denmark. Directorate for fængselsvæsenet, Copenhagen 1954.
• Kammeratvalg i skoleklasser. En sociometrisk undersøgelse. Danmarks Pædagogiske Institut, Copenhagen 1961.
• Familys. Munksgaard, Copenhagen 1974.

Web links

• Thomas Sigsgaard in Dansk biografisk leksikon (Danish)