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Stanley Smith Stevens (November 4, 1906 – January 18, 1973) was an American psychologist who founded Harvard's Psycho-Acoustic Laboratory, studying psychoacoustics, and he is credited with the introduction of Stevens's power law. Stevens authored a milestone textbook, the 1400+ page Handbook of Experimental Psychology (1951). He was also one of the founding organizers of the Psychonomic Society. In 1946 he introduced a theory of levels of measurement widely used by scientists but whose use in some areas of statistics has been criticized. In addition, Stevens played a key role in the development of the use of operational definitions in psychology.
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A Review of General Psychology survey, published in 2002, ranked Stevens as the 52nd most cited psychologist of the 20th century. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the United States National Academy of Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.
Life
Stevens was born in Ogden, Utah, to Stanley and Adeline (Smith) Stevens and educated in Latter-day Saint-affiliated schools in Salt Lake City, Utah. He spent much of his childhood in the polygamous household of his maternal grandfather Orson Smith. At the death of his parents in 1924, he spent the next 3 years on an LDS mission in Switzerland and Belgium. He attended the University of Utah from 1927 to 1929 and Stanford University for the next two years, graduating with an A.B. in psychology in 1931.
Shortly after arriving in Massachusetts to begin a Ph.D., he left the LDS church, but continued to struggle with conflicting ideas of faith and science. After two years of graduate study, he received his Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University, where he served under Edwin Boring as assistant in psychology, from 1932 to 1934.
The following year he spent studying physiology under Hallowell Davis at Harvard Medical School, and in 1935 served as a research fellow in physics at Harvard for a year. In 1936, Stevens accepted a position as an instructor in experimental psychology at Harvard University.
He married Maxine Leonard in 1930 and had a son, Peter Smith Stevens, in 1936. He married Geraldine Stone, who had worked in the Psycho-Acoustic Laboratory from its inception, in 1963.
Science of Science discussion group
Stevens played a key role in organising the in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which met on eight occasions from October 1940 to mid-1941. Stevens, who was noted for the clarity of his scientific writing, attracted to the group a number of participants whose aim was the "debabelisation of science". The group was also influenced by the 5th Congress of the Unity of Science, which had been held at Harvard University in September 1939 and featured a number of well-known scientists from different disciplines.
Work
Stevens' experimental and theoretical work lay primarily in the fields of psychophysics and psychoacoustics. One of his most influential contributions was his definition of a measurement scale defined by four types: Nominal, Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio. (see Level of measurement) He is the author of the operational theory of measurement, which “...in the broadest sense, is defined as the assignment of numerals to objects or events according to rules.” In fact, the definition paraphrased Campbell's note from the Final Report of the so-called Ferguson's committee (joint committee of sections A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and J, Psychology, of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, held 1932–1940). Stevens just omitted or extended some of Campbell's assumptions. While Campbell considered additivity to be a necessary condition, Stevens considered any rule to fit the definition. His goal was to overcome the committee's conclusion concerning the possibility of measurement in psychology.
See also
- The Logic of Modern Physics
References
- Miller, George A. (1975). Biographical Memoirs. Vol. 47. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press. p. 524. ISBN 978-0-309-02245-3.
- "Obituary: S. Smith Stevens". Physics Today. 26 (5): 81. May 1973. doi:10.1063/1.3128068.
- Velleman, Paul F.; Wilkinson, Leland (1993). "Nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio typologies are misleading". The American Statistician. 47 (1): 65–72. doi:10.1080/00031305.1993.10475938. JSTOR 2684788.
- Nicholson (2005). From the Book of Mormon to the Operational Definition: The Existential Project of S.S. Stevens. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198037606. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- Haggbloom, Steven J.; Warnick, Renee; Warnick, Jason E.; Jones, Vinessa K.; Yarbrough, Gary L.; Russell, Tenea M.; Borecky, Chris M.; McGahhey, Reagan; Powell III, John L.; Beavers, Jamie; Monte, Emmanuelle (2002). "The 100 most eminent psychologists of the 20th century". Review of General Psychology. 6 (2): 139–152. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.586.1913. doi:10.1037/1089-2680.6.2.139. S2CID 145668721.
- "Stanley Smith Stevens". American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- "Stanley S. Stevens". www.nasonline.org. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- Miller, George A. (1974). "Stanley Smith Stevens: 1906–1973". American Journal of Psychology. 87 (1/2): 279–288. JSTOR 1422022.
- (2003). "Debabelizing Science: The Harvard Science of Science Discussion Group, 1940–41". In Richardson, Alan W.; Hardcastle, Gary L. (eds.). Logical Empiricism in North America. University of Minnesota Press. pp. 170–196.
- [1], 2001, pp. 15105–15108
- Stevens, S. S. (June 7, 1946). "On the Theory of Scales of Measurement". Science. 103 (2684): 677–680. doi:10.1126/science.103.2684.677.
- Ferguson, A., Myers, C. S., Bartlett, R. J., Banister, H., Bartlett, F. C., Brown, W., ..., & Tucker, W. S. "Final report of the committee appointed to consider and report upon the possibility of quantitative estimates of sensory events". Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. 2: 331–349.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- Smelser, Neil J.; Paul B. Baltes (2001). International encyclopedia of the social & behavioral sciences (PDF). Amsterdam, New York: Elsevier. pp. 15105–15108. ISBN 0-08-043076-7.
- Nicholson, I. (2000). "S.S. Stevens". In Alan E. Kazdin (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press. ISBN 978-1-55798-187-5
- Nicholson, I. (2005). "From the Book of Mormon to the Operational Definition: The Existential Project of S.S. Stevens". In William Todd. Schultz (Ed.), Handbook of Psychobiography (pp. 285–298). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-516827-3
Further reading
- Stevens, Stanley Smith (June 7, 1946). "On the Theory of Scales of Measurement" (PDF). Science. 103 (2684): 677–680. Bibcode:1946Sci...103..677S. doi:10.1126/science.103.2684.677. PMID 17750512.
Stanley Smith Stevens November 4 1906 January 18 1973 was an American psychologist who founded Harvard s Psycho Acoustic Laboratory studying psychoacoustics and he is credited with the introduction of Stevens s power law Stevens authored a milestone textbook the 1400 page Handbook of Experimental Psychology 1951 He was also one of the founding organizers of the Psychonomic Society In 1946 he introduced a theory of levels of measurement widely used by scientists but whose use in some areas of statistics has been criticized In addition Stevens played a key role in the development of the use of operational definitions in psychology SS Smitty Stevens A Review of General Psychology survey published in 2002 ranked Stevens as the 52nd most cited psychologist of the 20th century He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences the United States National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical Society LifeStevens was born in Ogden Utah to Stanley and Adeline Smith Stevens and educated in Latter day Saint affiliated schools in Salt Lake City Utah He spent much of his childhood in the polygamous household of his maternal grandfather Orson Smith At the death of his parents in 1924 he spent the next 3 years on an LDS mission in Switzerland and Belgium He attended the University of Utah from 1927 to 1929 and Stanford University for the next two years graduating with an A B in psychology in 1931 Shortly after arriving in Massachusetts to begin a Ph D he left the LDS church but continued to struggle with conflicting ideas of faith and science After two years of graduate study he received his Ph D in psychology from Harvard University where he served under Edwin Boring as assistant in psychology from 1932 to 1934 The following year he spent studying physiology under Hallowell Davis at Harvard Medical School and in 1935 served as a research fellow in physics at Harvard for a year In 1936 Stevens accepted a position as an instructor in experimental psychology at Harvard University He married Maxine Leonard in 1930 and had a son Peter Smith Stevens in 1936 He married Geraldine Stone who had worked in the Psycho Acoustic Laboratory from its inception in 1963 Science of Science discussion groupStevens played a key role in organising the in Cambridge Massachusetts which met on eight occasions from October 1940 to mid 1941 Stevens who was noted for the clarity of his scientific writing attracted to the group a number of participants whose aim was the debabelisation of science The group was also influenced by the 5th Congress of the Unity of Science which had been held at Harvard University in September 1939 and featured a number of well known scientists from different disciplines WorkStevens experimental and theoretical work lay primarily in the fields of psychophysics and psychoacoustics One of his most influential contributions was his definition of a measurement scale defined by four types Nominal Ordinal Interval and Ratio see Level of measurement He is the author of the operational theory of measurement which in the broadest sense is defined as the assignment of numerals to objects or events according to rules In fact the definition paraphrased Campbell s note from the Final Report of the so called Ferguson s committee joint committee of sections A Mathematical and Physical Sciences and J Psychology of the British Association for the Advancement of Science held 1932 1940 Stevens just omitted or extended some of Campbell s assumptions While Campbell considered additivity to be a necessary condition Stevens considered any rule to fit the definition His goal was to overcome the committee s conclusion concerning the possibility of measurement in psychology See alsoThe Logic of Modern PhysicsReferencesMiller George A 1975 Biographical Memoirs Vol 47 Washington D C The National Academies Press p 524 ISBN 978 0 309 02245 3 Obituary S Smith Stevens Physics Today 26 5 81 May 1973 doi 10 1063 1 3128068 Velleman Paul F Wilkinson Leland 1993 Nominal ordinal interval and ratio typologies are misleading The American Statistician 47 1 65 72 doi 10 1080 00031305 1993 10475938 JSTOR 2684788 Nicholson 2005 From the Book of Mormon to the Operational Definition The Existential Project of S S Stevens Oxford University Press ISBN 9780198037606 Retrieved March 24 2018 Haggbloom Steven J Warnick Renee Warnick Jason E Jones Vinessa K Yarbrough Gary L Russell Tenea M Borecky Chris M McGahhey Reagan Powell III John L Beavers Jamie Monte Emmanuelle 2002 The 100 most eminent psychologists of the 20th century Review of General Psychology 6 2 139 152 CiteSeerX 10 1 1 586 1913 doi 10 1037 1089 2680 6 2 139 S2CID 145668721 Stanley Smith Stevens American Academy of Arts amp Sciences Retrieved December 16 2022 Stanley S Stevens www nasonline org Retrieved December 16 2022 APS Member History search amphilsoc org Retrieved December 16 2022 Miller George A 1974 Stanley Smith Stevens 1906 1973 American Journal of Psychology 87 1 2 279 288 JSTOR 1422022 2003 Debabelizing Science The Harvard Science of Science Discussion Group 1940 41 In Richardson Alan W Hardcastle Gary L eds Logical Empiricism in North America University of Minnesota Press pp 170 196 1 2001 pp 15105 15108 Stevens S S June 7 1946 On the Theory of Scales of Measurement Science 103 2684 677 680 doi 10 1126 science 103 2684 677 Ferguson A Myers C S Bartlett R J Banister H Bartlett F C Brown W amp Tucker W S Final report of the committee appointed to consider and report upon the possibility of quantitative estimates of sensory events Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science 2 331 349 a href wiki Template Cite journal title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Smelser Neil J Paul B Baltes 2001 International encyclopedia of the social amp behavioral sciences PDF Amsterdam New York Elsevier pp 15105 15108 ISBN 0 08 043076 7 Nicholson I 2000 S S Stevens In Alan E Kazdin Ed Encyclopedia of Psychology Washington DC American Psychological Association Press ISBN 978 1 55798 187 5 Nicholson I 2005 From the Book of Mormon to the Operational Definition The Existential Project of S S Stevens In William Todd Schultz Ed Handbook of Psychobiography pp 285 298 New York Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 516827 3Further readingStevens Stanley Smith June 7 1946 On the Theory of Scales of Measurement PDF Science 103 2684 677 680 Bibcode 1946Sci 103 677S doi 10 1126 science 103 2684 677 PMID 17750512