Today in Wheeling History: July 26--Wheeling native and renowned psychologist Marion A. "Gus" Wenger dies in Los Angeles at age 75 (1982).
Marion Augustus "Gus" Wenger (1907-1982) was an influential American psychologist who specialized in psychophysiology. Born on March 12, 1907, in Wheeling, West Virginia, Wenger grew up in Greenville, Ohio. He received his BA from the University of Michigan in 1928, then worked in his family's business for three years. Wenger returned to academia, pursuing graduate studies at the University of Michigan (1931-1932) before transferring to the University of Iowa, where he earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology in 1935.
Wenger's career included several notable positions. He worked as a research assistant at the University of Chicago from 1935 to 1938, first at the Orthogenic School for aberrant children and then in the Department of Education. In 1938, he became chairman of the Department of Psychophysiology at the Samuel S. Fels Research Institute and an Assistant Professor at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. During World War II, he worked at the Santa Ana Army Air Force Base under J.P. Guilford from 1944, developing a test battery for Air Force recruits.
In 1945, Wenger joined the faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he remained until his retirement in 1972. He served as Chairman of the Psychology Department from 1948 to 1950, resigning the position in protest during the "Year of the Oath" controversy. Wenger was promoted to full Professor in 1952.
Throughout his career, Wenger collaborated with and was influenced by several prominent figures in psychology, including Clark L. Hull at Yale, Orvis C. Irwin at Iowa, Frank N. Freeman at Chicago, and K.J. Holzinger and L.L. Thurstone, who introduced him to factor analysis. He also worked with Lester W. Sontag at the Fels Research Institute and briefly with Stanley Cobb at Harvard Medical School in 1941.
Wenger's contributions to psychophysiology were widely recognized. He was a founder of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, served as its president in 1963-1964, and received its Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in 1970. He also received a Fulbright Research Award in 1951-1952, spending his sabbatical at the University of Paris. In 1956-1957, he conducted research in India on Yogi masters, supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.
Wenger died on July 26, 1982, at the age of 75 in Los Angeles, California. His death was attributed to heart failure secondary to chronic asthma and emphysema, conditions he had struggled with throughout his life. According to his wishes, Wenger's body was cremated and his ashes were buried at sea. However, there is also a memorial for him at Greenville Union Cemetery in Greenville, Darke County, Ohio.
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/NbiuT) (https://shorturl.at/bZQGb) (https://shorturl.at/J8Gji) (https://shorturl.at/PNyCV) (https://shorturl.at/kncpN) (https://shorturl.at/TsQXn)
Marion Augustus "Gus" Wenger (1907-1982) was an influential American psychologist who specialized in psychophysiology. Born on March 12, 1907, in Wheeling, West Virginia, Wenger grew up in Greenville, Ohio. He received his BA from the University of Michigan in 1928, then worked in his family's business for three years. Wenger returned to academia, pursuing graduate studies at the University of Michigan (1931-1932) before transferring to the University of Iowa, where he earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology in 1935.
Wenger's career included several notable positions. He worked as a research assistant at the University of Chicago from 1935 to 1938, first at the Orthogenic School for aberrant children and then in the Department of Education. In 1938, he became chairman of the Department of Psychophysiology at the Samuel S. Fels Research Institute and an Assistant Professor at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. During World War II, he worked at the Santa Ana Army Air Force Base under J.P. Guilford from 1944, developing a test battery for Air Force recruits.
In 1945, Wenger joined the faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he remained until his retirement in 1972. He served as Chairman of the Psychology Department from 1948 to 1950, resigning the position in protest during the "Year of the Oath" controversy. Wenger was promoted to full Professor in 1952.
Throughout his career, Wenger collaborated with and was influenced by several prominent figures in psychology, including Clark L. Hull at Yale, Orvis C. Irwin at Iowa, Frank N. Freeman at Chicago, and K.J. Holzinger and L.L. Thurstone, who introduced him to factor analysis. He also worked with Lester W. Sontag at the Fels Research Institute and briefly with Stanley Cobb at Harvard Medical School in 1941.
Wenger's contributions to psychophysiology were widely recognized. He was a founder of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, served as its president in 1963-1964, and received its Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in 1970. He also received a Fulbright Research Award in 1951-1952, spending his sabbatical at the University of Paris. In 1956-1957, he conducted research in India on Yogi masters, supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.
Wenger died on July 26, 1982, at the age of 75 in Los Angeles, California. His death was attributed to heart failure secondary to chronic asthma and emphysema, conditions he had struggled with throughout his life. According to his wishes, Wenger's body was cremated and his ashes were buried at sea. However, there is also a memorial for him at Greenville Union Cemetery in Greenville, Darke County, Ohio.
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/NbiuT) (https://shorturl.at/bZQGb) (https://shorturl.at/J8Gji) (https://shorturl.at/PNyCV) (https://shorturl.at/kncpN) (https://shorturl.at/TsQXn)
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