Binet, Alfred

Alfred Binet (1857–1911) was a French scientist, best known today for his contributions to intelligence testing. Binet was awarded a law degree in 1878 and then began to study science at the Sorbonne in Paris. While doing this, he read psychology texts at the National Library in Paris and works by John Stuart Mill which influenced his views on intelligence, seeing links between Mill’s laws of associationism and intelligence. Binet never formally studied psychology, received a qualification in psychology, or held a post in an academic institution; perhaps because of this, he had difficulty in gaining recognition for his projects. This entry examines Binet’s career development and legacy with a specific focus on his contributions to intelligence testing with the Binet–Simon Scale.

Career Development

In 1883, ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles