Born: September 10, 1863
Died: September 17, 1945
Charles Edward Spearman was born in London and lived a full 82 years until his death in 1945. During those years Charles Spearman became one of the most influential figures that the field of psychology had seen. Despite his genuine interest however, he began not in psychology, but in philosophy. However, Spearman soon learned that he was not impressed by what philosophy had to offer him or by his own works in the faculty, it was for that reason that he had decided to join the army.
Spearman and the Army Spearman was not the type of person that enjoyed the military, yet he spent almost a quarter of his life in the British Army. This had been much longer than he had intended, however his reasoning was that he had wanted to take a job in which he could spend more time in his studies. During the Burmese War, Spearman received a medal and two clasps for his duties, but more importantly it was during this time that he discovered that, for him, the solutions to life's problems were in psychology. This, however, was not the end of the military service for Spearman. On two other occasions he responded to the army's needs. First as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General in Guernsey during the Boer War and again, during World War I, serving on the general staff of Tyne defences. It was after the first World War that his fame began to spread.
Educational and Professional Background Spearman was educated in Germany. He completed his Ph.D. under Wilhelm Wundt, but was also influenced during his studies by the works of Francis Galton and his case for the importance of intelligence testing. After studying at Leipzig, Wurzburg and Gottingen, Charles Spearman received his doctorate from Leipzig in 1904. With degree in hand, Spearman's professional career soared as he crossed the English Channel. In 1907, at University College; London, he took over the department of experimental