January 27


1621 Thomas Willis was born. Willis is often regarded as the founder of modern clinical neuroscience and comparative neuroanatomy. Although he helped build the foundation of neuroanatomical description and nomenclature, he is perhaps most well known for describing the circle of Willis, an arterial circle that supplies blood to the brain and surrounding structures. Willis died in 1675.
1894  Henry E. Garrett was born. Garrett's work was primarily in mental traits, learning, and mental organization. He served in editorial, consulting, and official capacities for many psychological associations. APA President, 1946. 
1904  James J. Gibson was born. Gibson's research on perception showed that perceptual qualities are directly sensed from the environment, not built from simple sensory inputs. His book The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems (1966) was a major summary of his work. APA Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, 1961. 
1926  Earl H., the first infant in Clara M. Davis's diet self-select study, was admitted to the study center. Davis found that, overtime, infants who were allowed to choose from a wide range of food selected a nutritionally balanced diet.  
1937 Ena Vazquez-Nuttall was born in Salinas, Puerto Rico (died October 20, 2011). She received her Bachelor’s degree from University of Puerto Rico, Master’s degree from Radcliffe College, and EdD in counseling and school psychology from Boston University. Her contributions to Multicultural Counseling Competencies: Individual Organizational Development had a guiding influence on APA's policies and practices.
1947  The American Journal of Psychotherapy was first published by the American Association for the Advancement of Psychotherapy. 
1958  In a special message to Congress, President Eisenhower called for a fivefold increase in the budget of the National Science Foundation. One result was Title V of the National Defense Education Act, providing improvements in school testing, counseling, and guidance services. The president's message came 4 months after the Soviet launch of Sputnik I (October 4, 1957). 
1964  The journal Psychonomic Science was first published by the Psychonomic Society. Clifford T. Morgan was the editor. 
1982  The APA Presidential Citation was presented to Rosalynn Carter in recognition of her public leadership and service for improved mental health services. Carter was instrumental in convening the Presidential Commission on Mental Health during Jimmy Carter's presidency. The presentation was made by outgoing APA president John J. Conger, a member of the commission.