Gardner Murphy

Murphy was born on July 8, 1895 in Chillicothe, Ohio, US. He was the son of Edgar Gardner Murphy, an Episcopal minister and known activist.[1] Upon graduating with a BA from Yale University in 1916, Murphy attended Harvard University, working with L. T. Troland in a telepathy experiment, and achieving his MA in 1917. Murphy succeeded Troland as holder of the Hodgson Fellowship in Psychical Research at Harvard University. After the war, in 1919, Murphy continued his studies at Columbia University, working towards his PhD, and combined this, until it was awarded in 1923, with work under the Hodgson Fellowship.[3] He later married Lois Barclay and had two children, Al and Margaret.[4]

Murphy was recognized for being generous and kind, such as offering assistance or loans if a student or colleague was in trouble.[4] He also spoke out against racial conflicts and advocated for peaceful relations.

Murphy was inspired by the works of psychologists and scientists such as Herbert Spencer, Sigmund Freud, William James and Charles Darwin. Most of his works integrated aspects of each of these previous scientists. Murphy was a strong admirer of Freud, often drawing from his psychoanalytic theories. He considered Freud a true artistic genius, while still being critical of him.[5] Murphy was especially interested in Freud's perspective of the self, including regression and needs.[6] The world was skeptical of Freud at the time, yet Murphy still embraced his ideas and was often ridiculed for it.

While researching William James, Murphy took interest in James' philosophical perspective. He admired how James easily defined the boundaries between man, world and consciousness. Along with James and Freud, Murphy also took to Darwin, specifically his theory of evolution. Murphy particularly focused on the theory of adapt behavior in organisms,[7] which says that animals adapt to their environments for their own survival. This particular theory of evolutionary adaption played a hand in multiple personality theories Murphy later presented.

He studied the medium Leonora Piper, and collaborating with French chemist and psychical researcher René Warcollier in a transatlantic telepathy experiment. From 1921-1925, he served as lecturer in psychology at Columbia University. In 1925, Clark University hosted a symposium on psychical research, and, together with Harvard psychologist William McDougall, Murphy argued for the respect of the field as an academic discipline, while recognizing the difficulties of scientific acceptance and experimentation. From 1925-1929, he continued at Columbia University in the capacity of instructor and assistant professor in psychology. He was re-appointed as Hodgson Fellow at Harvard in 1937. From 1940-1942 he was professor and chairman of the Department of Psychology at City College in New York. From 1952, he worked as director of research for the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas. He was elected to the presidency of the American Psychological Association in 1944. He subsequently served as the President of the British Society for Psychical Research in 1949 (which he had joined in 1917), and was Director of the Parapsychology Foundation in 1951.[1][8] Murphy authored several texts in psychology, including Historical Introduction to Modern Psychology (1928; 1949), Personality (1947), and Human Potentialities (1958). He was a contributor to personality, social and clinical psychology and an early exponent of humanistic psychology.[9] During these years, he continued his association with psychical research, including sitting on the council of the American Society for Psychical Research and serving as chair of its research committee; serving as an editor of the Journal of Parapsychology (1939–1941), speaking at professional symposia on psychical research; writing report, review and critical articles in general scientific, psychological as well as parapsychological journals.[1] He also supported (through his own book royalties) experimental studies by J. G. Pratt at Columbia (1935–1937); authoring an introductory review to the field, The Challenge of Psychical Research (1961), as well as William James and Psychical Research (1973) (with R. Ballou) and a 20-page article on parapsychology for the Encyclopedia of Psychology (1946); editing an English-language publication of Warcollier's reports (1938) and writing forewords for several parapsychological monographs.

Murphy died on 18 March 1979 in Washington, D.C.[10]

Murphy proposed the biosocial personality theory, which stated that personality was both biological and social.[7] At the center of the theory is canalization. Murphy believed that canalization is needs are shaped by the specific ways they are being satisfied.[4] This instance, when the needs are being satisfied, is then controlled by two main mechanisms: regularity and relevance. These two components say, experience creates another experience based on the proximity of the relationship.[7] The theory was presented in his book Personality published in 1947.

In his book he proposed three main components to personality. Firstly, personality acts within a larger structure and second, has its own inner workings. In addition it is an entity that is shaped by its environment.[6] Other parts of the book discuss his biosocial theory canalization and autism. Autism, as Murphy defines it, is actions are designed by the satisfaction of needs while placing special emphasis on the self.[4]

Murphy also studied parapsychology, which at the time was not taken seriously. Many thought it was a joke and should not be considered a real science. Murphy thought differently. He believed that it is the scientist's job to expand the known science and push beyond the set boundaries.[4] He produced numerous studies on the paranormal, specifically about telekinesis, psychokinesis, and despite constant ridicule.

The humanistic psychology movement did not occur until the 1960s. However, much of Murphy's writings were an early component of the movement and really set the stage for its beginnings. Generally, Murphy believed in the good of humanity, often producing works on the problems and solutions of societies, human nature, and individualism. These particular works were so inspiring that, at the time, many European refugee psychologists referenced his ideas in their arguments for peace in their countries.[4]

Murphy's book Human Potentialities (1958) covered a wide range of topics about the welfare of the human being. In general, Murphy rejected the idea of human nature being predetermined and unable to change.[11] Instead he proposed three distinct human natures. First, because of the theory of evolution, human nature is in a constant state of flux, and therefore, always changing.[11] Second, man’s various cultures were brought about by the instability of human nature.[11] Finally, man has an essential artistic view of the world that allows for the expansion of its boundaries.[11] These human natures were essential to his idea of human potentiality and prejudices. Prejudices are formed because of man's constant state of flux. Researching these ideas, Murphy concluded that prejudices did not exist because of logical reasoning. Rather, prejudices come about through natural spontaneous reactions.[12] With that in mind, Murphy suggested three principles when researching human potential. Firstly, the environment plays a role in the individuals' ideas of gaining experience.[13] Second potentialities are created through new experiences of the self rather than through cultural experience.[13] He concludes that there is no limit to the amount of new potentialities that can be created.[13]

He also published papers focusing on the boundaries between the individual, society, and world order. Murphy identified what he believed to be the source of conflict: individualism. He believed too much emphasis was placed on the definition of individualism; so much so that the true definition has been replaced by the idea of competition.[14] In other words the idea of winning and losing. Individualism only allows the person to view what is in their direct view, not the big picture.[14] The idea of competition is non societal; it takes care of the individual and their needs, but not the needs of society.

It is the problems of man that Murphy wanted to solve which pushed him to write Science and Order (1962). Through his research, he discovered ways of bettering the world through the scientific community. He proposed ten ideas that, while extreme, would essentially be beneficial to the world. First he proposed the idea of disarmament. Instead of weaponry, he suggested using common knowledge to come to an understanding. Second, create newer technology that would enable less reliability on weapons. In recommendations three, four, and five, Murphy suggested using different research methods to study the paths, decisions, and predictions that lead war to better prepare for future conflicts. In his last four recommendations, Murphy suggested studying politician personalities to better handle situational crises. He also suggested updating the educational system to fully include a firm understanding of the world and what is at stake; while also promoting more communication techniques to better understand adversaries.[15]

Later within his career he served as a consultant to the Indian Government researching solutions to the Hindu-Muslim conflict.[4] During this time, he gained knowledge of the local cultures and personalities of the native people. His time there led him to collect numerous data of Indian cultures and life incorporating the data into solutions for western problems. This work became known as Asian Psychology.

Murphy had many prominent theories and ideas throughout his lifetime. Before his ideas of social psychology, Murphy bounced around different learning theories and ideas, building off of what was already known. His learning theories are a good example. Murphy believed that perception is learned the same way as behaviors, through reward and punishment.[16] Murphy believed that perception fulfills multiple roles beyond relaying the sensory information to the brain. It was a way of fulfilling needs as well.[16] This satisfaction of needs is displayed in many of his other publications.