Erwina Jean P.

Golla

1F3 BS Psychology

8. 27.15

Leta Stetter Hollingworth

(1886 1939)
On May 25, 1886, Leta A. Stetter was born in Dawes County, Nebraska. She attended the
University of Nebraska and graduated in the year 1906. She taught high school for two years
while her fianc Harry Hollingworth, completed his Ph.D in Psychology. They got married in the
year 1908. She started writing fictions but was unable to publish her stories. In 1916 she earned
her Ph.D from Teachers College, Columbia University and she worked for the civil service in
New York City. 5 years later she was cited in American Men of Science for her contributions to
the psychology for women. She conducted extensive empirical research on the variability
hypothesis, the idea that for physical, psychological, and emotional functioning, women were
more homogenous and average group than men and thus showed less variation. Hollingworths
research between 1913 and 1916 focused on physical and sensorimotor functioning and
intellectual abilities in a variety of subjects. Hollingworth also cautioned vocational and
guidance counselors against advising women that they should restrict their aspirations to the then
socially acceptable fields of childrearing and housekeeping, where prominence and visibility are
denies. No one knows who is the best housekeeper in America, she wrote. Despite the breadth
and quality of her research she was never able to obtain research grant support (Hollingworth,
1943). She was active in the womens suffrage movement, campaigning for womens right to
vote. (finally achieved in 1920) and taking part in parades and demonstrations in New York. She
is best known for her work with exceptional children. Later on Leta Hollingworth died on
November 27, 1939, at the age of 53 of abdominal cancer.

Contributions:

Clinical psychology
Educational psychology, especially the educational and emotional needs of gifted

children, a term she coined (Benjamin, 1975)

Psychology of women

Relfection:
All my life Ive done nothing productive that could contribute to the world. People
around my age, I actually see them being more active, volunteering for red cross, being an intern
in the company of their parent/s, even having a part time job during their summer and many
more. Leta Hollingworth made me realize a lot of things. You know how there are still people
who think that girls cant do anything that men still dominate our world. But then again theyre
wrong. During the year of the 80s to 90s you could already see women accomplishing a lot of
things already. May it be in the medical department, or the government and lots more. Leta was
one of those people.
As a psychology student, reading the life of Leta Hollingworth, it made me want to be
more committed to the things that I do. I dont want to be like her because well, I want to be my
own person and be able to contribute a lot of things like her in the field of psychology. I love
how she contributed to the educational and emotional needs of gifted children. Just like her I
want to be able to contribute things like that to this world in the field of psychology. I believe she
is a great person who has done amazing things, and someday I hope to be someone who is able to
help people and well contribute wonderful things that could benefit us. Leta Hollingworth, I
salute you.

References:
A History In Modern Psychology eigth edition by, Duane P. Schultz and Sydney Ellen
Schultz; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leta_Stetter_Hollingworth