Roger Wolcott Sperry
Neuropsychologist
Date of Birth&Death
Born: August 20, 1913
Death: April 17,1994 (age 80)
Background
- Born in Hartford, Connecticut
- Had a father named Francis Buchnell and a mother named Flourence Sperry, he also had a brother named Russell Loomis. Their father died when he was 11.
Oberlin College&University on Chicago
- Won a scholarship
- Psychology class sparked Sperry's interest in the brain and how it can change
- Received his undergraduate, masters, and bachelors degree
- Received his Ph.D in zoology from University of Chicago
Fun Facts
- Focused on experiments involving the rearranging of motor and sensory nerves
- Published American Scientist in 1952
- Nobel peace prize for Physiology
Contribution to Psychology
Roger is known for split-brain research, which is the study of the left and right brain. The left side of the brain is normally specialized in taking care of the logical, factual, analytical and verbal tasks. The left side speak much better than the right side while the right half takes care of the space perception, tasks and music, creativity and emotions for example.