Eponyms in Psychology: A Dictionary and Biographical Sourcebook

(Hardback)

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With entries ranging from Alzheimer's disease to the Zeignarik effect, this unique dictionary provides information about the researchers, scholars, and scientists whose names have become part of terms in common use among psychologists. Over 800 eponyms of current or historical interest are presented, together with full definitions and a short biography of the person whose name is appended to the term. In addition to terms originating in psychology itself, there are entries from statistics, physiology, psychiatry, neurology, linguistics, and artificial intelligence that have found their way into psychological parlance.

Reviews

. . . In addition to listing and describing the eponyms, he provides biographical information on the person from whom the term takes its origin. Hundreds of references support the entries. Many of these references would be difficult to track down. A great deal of effort must have gone into developing the bibliography. . . . Eponyms in Psychology will be of interest not only to the psychologist but also to the general scholar who is fascinated by words and onomastics. It can be a valuable reference tool for the onomastician and definitely deserves to be in libraries for general reference psychology collections.-Names
A work that provides information about psychological eponyms -- terms or phrases in fairly common use among psychologists that incorporate the name of an individual, place, or institution. There are also selected eponyms from fields related to psychology (e.g. education, psychiatry, psycho-analysis). Some examples: Down's syndrome, from John Down, a British physician; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, developed at the University of Minnesota; the Guttman scale, from American psychologist Louis Guttman. Zusne (University of Tulsa) notes that about 60% of these terms are not found in dictionaries of psychology. More than 850 eponyms are defined; the origins of the term is discussed; and short biographies of eponymous persons are furnished. Biographies include lists of other biographical sources, and the full titles of abbreviated journal and book titles that contain additional biographical information are given at the beginning. This seems to be the only English-language dictionary of psychological eponyms.-Choice
." . . In addition to listing and describing the eponyms, he provides biographical information on the person from whom the term takes its origin. Hundreds of references support the entries. Many of these references would be difficult to track down. A great deal of effort must have gone into developing the bibliography. . . . Eponyms in Psychology will be of interest not only to the psychologist but also to the general scholar who is fascinated by words and onomastics. It can be a valuable reference tool for the onomastician and definitely deserves to be in libraries for general reference psychology collections."-Names
"A work that provides information about psychological eponyms -- terms or phrases in fairly common use among psychologists that incorporate the name of an individual, place, or institution. There are also selected eponyms from fields related to psychology (e.g. education, psychiatry, psycho-analysis). Some examples: Down's syndrome, from John Down, a British physician; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, developed at the University of Minnesota; the Guttman scale, from American psychologist Louis Guttman. Zusne (University of Tulsa) notes that about 60% of these terms are not found in dictionaries of psychology. More than 850 eponyms are defined; the origins of the term is discussed; and short biographies of eponymous persons are furnished. Biographies include lists of other biographical sources, and the full titles of abbreviated journal and book titles that contain additional biographical information are given at the beginning. This seems to be the only English-language dictionary of psychological eponyms."-Choice

Author Bio

LEONARD ZUSNE, is Professor of Psychology at the University of Tulsa.