Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
4-25-2025
Keywords
Heinz Werner, orthogenesis, psychology
Disciplines
Developmental Psychology
Abstract
Heinz Werner (February 11, 1890 – May 14, 1964) was an Austrian psychologist who played an active role in defining the field of developmental psychology at the start of the 20th century. While initially seeking to become a composer and music historian, he changed his mind after listening to a lecture on Immanuel Kant at the University of Vienna. Werner became engrossed in topics of philosophy and psychology (which were combined at the time), and he wrote his dissertation on the psychology of aesthetic experiences. Subsequently he worked at the University of Hamburg, where he published the first edition of his famous book, Comparative Psychology of Mental Development. In 1933, he was terminated from his position by Nazi leadership in Germany, after which he moved to the United States. There, he worked at a number of universities until settling at Clark University in 1947.
Recommended Citation
Fleuchaus, Ethan; Cunningham, Katie; and Kloos, Heidi, "Heinz Werner" (2025). Essays in Developmental Psychology. 82.
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/edp/82