Anastasi, Anne (1908–2001)

views updated

Anastasi, Anne (1908–2001)

American psychologist. Born Dec 19, 1908, in New York, NY; died May 4, 2001, at her home in Manhattan; mother was office manager at Il Progesso, an Italian newspaper; attended Rhodes Preparatory School; Barnard College, degree in psychology, 1928; Columbia University, PhD, 1930; m. John Porter Foley Jr. (industrial psychologist), 1933.

Pioneer in the field of testing to measure intelligence, aptitude, personality and creativity, began career as an instructor of psychology at Barnard (1930–39); became chair of psychology department at Queens College of City University of New York (1939); joined the faculty at Fordham University (1947), becoming full professor (1951); wrote Psychological Testing (1954), which became required reading in college courses, as well as more than 150 books, monographs and articles; was the 3rd woman elected president of American Psychological Association (APA, 1972). Received gold medal for lifetime achievement from APA (1984) and National Medal of Science (1987).