born , Aug. 16, 1832, Neckarau, near Mannheim, Baden
died Aug. 31, 1920, Grossbothen, Ger.
German physiologist and psychologist, the founder of experimental psychology .
After earning a medical degree, he studied briefly with Johannes Peter Müller and later assisted Hermann von Helmholtz . At the University of Heidelberg in 1862, following publication of his Contributions to the Theory of Sense Perception (185862), he gave the first course in scientific psychology. In Principles of Physiological Psychology (187374) he claimed that psychology must be based directly on experience and that its proper method was that of controlled introspection. At the University of Leipzig (18751917), he established the first psychological laboratory (1879) and founded the first journal of psychology (1881). His later works include Outline of Psychology (1896) and Ethnic Psychology (10 vol., 190020).