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Myrtle Byram McGraw

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Myrtle Byram McGraw
Born(1899-08-01)August 1, 1899
Birmingham, Alabama
DiedSeptember 6, 1988(1988-09-06) (aged 89)
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York
NationalityAmerican
EducationPh.D.
Alma materOhio Wesleyan University
Columbia University
OccupationPsychologist
Spouse
Rudolph F. Malina
​
​
(m. 1936; death 1970)​
ChildrenMitzi Wertheim
Parent(s)Riley McGraw (father)
Mary Byram (mother)

Myrtle Byram McGraw (August 1, 1899 – September 6, 1988) was an American psychologist, neurobiologist, and child development researcher.

Education

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Myrtle was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the fifth of seven children of the farmer Riley McGraw and his seamstress wife Mary Byram.[1] She grew up in an area that was still recovering from the aftermath of the American Civil War. After completing a sixth grade level of education, she took a course in a local business school to learn shorthand and typing.[2] Afterward, she was hired by a law office, where she worked for the next two years[3] at a salary of $3 per hour.[1] While there, the lawyer for whom she worked[3] had the foresight to encourage her to continue her education. He helped her to enroll at the Snead Seminary, which at the time was a private Methodist boarding school.[2] To pay her way, she worked as secretary to the school headmistress.[1]

As a teenager at Snead, in 1916 McGraw read an article in the Independent about the eminent American psychologist John Dewey.[4] Shortly thereafter she wrote to him about the article, and was surprised when he responded.[3] The two continued to correspond until McGraw left for China in 1919,[4] and this would later lead to professional collaboration. After graduating from Snead, she matriculated to Ohio Wesleyan University[4] in 1920 with the goal of eventually attending Columbia University.[3] She graduated with an AB degree in 1923.[5][unreliable source]

McGraw successfully enrolled as a graduate student[6] in the Teachers College at Columbia University, majoring in religious education. She earned extra money typing up the manuscript The Art of Experience for John Dewey,[3] who was a professor of philosophy at Columbia.[7] Upon earning her master's degree, she left to teach[3] at a mountain school in Puerto Rico. However, after a year she became convinced that religion was not the field for her. She returned to Columbia and began studying for a Ph.D. in psychology with the supervision of Helen Thompson Woolley.[1] Dr. Woolley headed up Columbia's Institute of Child Development, and the director of research there hired McGraw as a research assistant. Finally, in 1927, Myrtle was granted a Laura Spelman Rockefeller fellowship, which allowed her to finish up her course work[3] in psychology and neuroanatomy.[4]

Accepting a teaching job at Florida State College for Women as assistant professor of psychology,[6] McGraw began research for her dissertation. Her study was concerning performance differences between Caucasian and African-American children, using a battery of standard tests[1] developed by the Austrian developmental psychologist Charlotte Bühler.[3] Finding subjects for her thesis research in Tallahassee, Florida[8] proved a challenge. She said, "I located subjects by driving around looking for diapers drying on clotheslines".[3] With her investigation complete, McGraw returned to New York in 1929, joining the Institute for Child Guidance as an intern. She completed her dissertation, titled, "A comparative study of a group of southern white and negro infants",[9] and was awarded a doctorate from Columbia in 1931.[1]

Career

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With the onset of the Great Depression causing her concern about finding a post-doctoral internship, a former professor of McGraw advised her to talk to Fred Tilney, the director of the Neurological Institute of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia.[3] She was appointed associate director of the Normal Child Development Study at Babies Hospital in New York City[1] by Tilney in 1930.[10] Her work involved experimental research on child development of the neuromuscular system[4] as a complement to Tilney's own studies of animal neural systems and behavior, and their correlation to humans.[3] McGraw collaborated with Tilney and neuroembryologist George Coghill, and incorporated the ideas of John Dewey, to try and understand the growth process.[1]

Her work combined observation with some then-unique approaches to study environmental effects that could optimize motor development in an infant. She became the first to demonstrate a swim reflex in 2–4 month old babies.[1] For several years she performed twin studies,[3] which led to a heralded comparison study titled Growth: A Study of Johnny and Jimmy published in 1935.[11] Among the experiments, she was able to place 13-month old subject Johnny in roller skates and teach him to skate, much to the interest of her fellow researchers and the press.[3] The press retained an interest in this experiment from 1933 to 1942, although the supposed performance differences created between the two due to lab research turned out not to be as significant as initially supposed.[12] McGraw's work continued until the Normal Child Development Study ended early in 1940 due to the war. She remained at the Babies Hospital long enough to complete her second book, The Neuromuscular Maturation of the Human Infant, published in 1943.[1]

A focus of her studies was to unite concepts in biology and physics to reach an understanding of the neurobehavioral development in an infant. She was critiqued as a maturationist by some, but her analysis of neurobehavior was actually more complex. Her work, in collaboration with others including John Dewey, advanced a focus on the reciprocal relationship between experience and the process of neural growth during early development.[13] In this, she disagreed with Arnold Gesell's view on the role of maturation.[14] Her insights have influenced the work of other scientists, including Ronald Oppenheim, Gilbert Gottlieb, Esther Thelen, and Adele Diamond.[13] Her work also influenced the development of water birthing as well as parents applying swimming lessons for infants to encourage motor skill development.[6]

Domestic life

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Dr. McGraw was married in 1936 to research engineer Rudolph Mallina.[1] It was an unusual ceremony because they chose marriage by contract based upon a little-used section of the Domestic Relations Law. The contract was signed with State Supreme Court Justice Samuel I. Rosenman as a witness.[15] The following year the couple had a daughter, Mitzi. McGraw spend most of the decade from 1943 in a domestic lifestyle raising her daughter and doing some occasional writing,[3] although she did some teaching at New York University and Adelphi University.[6]

In 1953, she was offered a position with the psychology department at Briarcliff College. The work schedule was favorable, allowing her to still spend time with her daughter.[1] Her husband died in 1970 at the age of 87,[15] and she retired from teaching at Briarcliff in 1972.[1] At the age of 89, she died of pneumonia at her home in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.[11] Her daughter Mitzi Wertheim said of her, "mother was born at the end of the nineteenth century, she lived in the twentieth century, and she thought in the twenty-first century".[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Milar, Katharine S., Biography of Myrtle Byram McGraw, Society for the Psychology of Women, retrieved 2019-02-19.
  2. ^ a b Ogilvie, Marilyn Bailey; Harvey, Joy Dorothy (2000), The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science: L-Z, vol. 2, Taylor & Francis, ISBN 9780415920407, retrieved 2019-02-19.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Held, Lisa (2010), Myrtle McGraw, Psychology's Feminist Voices, retrieved 2019-02-19.
  4. ^ a b c d e Dalton, Thomas C.; Bergenn, Victor W. (March 1996), "John Dewey, Myrtle McGraw and Logic: An unusual collaboration in the 1930s", Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A, 27 (1): 69–107, Bibcode:1996SHPSA..27...69D, doi:10.1016/0039-3681(95)00025-9.
  5. ^ Bumb, Jenn, "Myrtle Byram McGraw (1899-1988)", Women's Intellectual Contributions to the Study of Mind and Society, retrieved 2019-02-19.
  6. ^ a b c d McGraw, Myrtle B. (Myrtle Byram) (1899-), Southern Illinois University Special Collections Research Center, retrieved 2019-02-19.
  7. ^ Von Dehsen, Christian D.; Harris, Scott L., eds. (1999), Philosophers and Religious Leaders, Lives and legacies, vol. 2, Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 52, ISBN 9781573561525
  8. ^ Society for Research in Child Development (1986), History and Research in Child Development: in Celebration of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Society, Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, vol. 50, Published by the University of Chicago Press for the Society for Research in Child Development
  9. ^ Catalog of Copyright Entries, vol. 28, Copyright Office, Library of Congress, 1932, p. 10214
  10. ^ a b Dalton, Thomas C. (2006), "Myrtle McGraw, the Maturation Debate and Aftermath", in Dalton, Thomas C.; Evans, Rand B. (eds.), The Life Cycle of Psychological Ideas: Understanding Prominence and the Dynamics of Intellectual Change, Springer Science & Business Media, pp. 252–254, ISBN 9780306480102.
  11. ^ a b "Dr. Myrtle B. McGraw, Psychologist, 89, Dies", New York Times, September 13, 1988, retrieved 2019-02-19.
  12. ^ Dennis, Paul M. (October 1989), "Johnny's a gentleman, but Jimmie's a mug: Press coverage during the 1930s of Myrtle McGraw's Study of Johnny and Jimmy Woods", Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, 25 (4): 356–370, doi:10.1002/1520-6696(198910)25:4<356::AID-JHBS2300250405>3.0.CO;2-1, PMID 11608795.
  13. ^ a b Dalton, Thomas C. (1998), "Myrtle McGraw's Neurobehavioral Theory of Development", Developmental Review, 18 (4): 472–503, doi:10.1006/drev.1997.0461.
  14. ^ Touwen, Bert C. L. (December 1998), "The Brain and Development of Function", Developmental Review, 18 (4): 504–526, doi:10.1006/drev.1997.0462.
  15. ^ a b "Rudolph Mallina of Bell Labs Dies", New York Times, September 16, 1970, retrieved 2019-02-22.

Further reading

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Published works

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The following is a list of Dr. McGraw's published works:

  • McGraw, M. B. (1931), "A comparative study of a group of southern white and negro infants", Genetic Psychology Monographs, 10: 1–105
  • Chaney, B.; McGraw, M. B. (1932), "Reflexes and other motor activities in newborn infants", Bulletin of the Neurological Institute of New York, 2: 1–56.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (December 1932), "From Reflex to Muscular Control in the Assumption of an Erect Posture and Ambulation in the Human Infant", Child Development, 3 (4): 291–297, doi:10.2307/1125356, JSTOR 1125356.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1933), "The functions of reflexes in the behavior development of infants", The Pedagogical Seminary and Journal of Genetic Psychology, 42 (1): 209–216, doi:10.1080/08856559.1933.10534238.
  • McGraw, M. B. (1933), "Grasping in infants and the proximo-distal course of growth", Psychological Review, 40 (3): 301–302, doi:10.1037/h0071849.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B (1933), "The effect of practice during infancy upon the development of specific behavior traits", Psychological Bulletin, 30: 681–682, doi:10.1037/h0072181.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B (1934), "The effect of specific training upon behavior development during first two years", Psychological Bulletin, 31: 748–749, doi:10.1037/h0063871.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1935), Growth: a study of Johnny and Jimmy, Oxford, England: Appleton-Century.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B.; Price, E. D. (1936), Plate Glass Test, New York: Normal Child Development Clinic, Columbia Medical Center
  • McGraw, Myrtle B.; Weinbach, A. P. (1936), "Quantitative Measures of Developmental Processes in Erect Locomotion", Psychological Bulletin, 33: 748, doi:10.1037/h0050781.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1935), Development of Reflexive and Adaptive Behavior Patterns in Infants, New York: Normal Child Development Clinic, Columbia Medical Center.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (August 1937), "The Moro Reflex", American Journal of Diseases of Children, 54 (2): 240–251, doi:10.1001/archpedi.1937.01980020034003.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1939), "Swimming behavior of the human infant", The Journal of Pediatrics, 15 (4): 485–490, doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(39)80003-8.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1939), Reflex swimming movements in the newborn of different species, Normal Child Development Study, New York: Columbia Medical Center.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (March 1939), "Later Development of Children Specially Trained during Infancy. Johnny and Jimmy at School Age", Child Development, 10 (1): 1–19, doi:10.2307/1125336, JSTOR 1125336.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1940), "Suspension grasp behavior of the human infant", American Journal of Diseases of Children, 60 (4): 799–811, doi:10.1001/archpedi.1940.02000040018002.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1940), "Development of neuro-muscular mechanisms as reflected by postural adjustments of the infant to an inverted position", American Journal of Diseases of Children, 60 (5): 1031–1042, doi:10.1001/archpedi.1940.02000050015003
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1940), "Neuromuscular mechanism of the infant: Development reflected by postural adjustments to an inverted position", American Journal of Diseases of Children, 60 (5): 1031–1042, doi:10.1001/archpedi.1940.02000050015003.
  • McGraw, M. B. (1940), "Signals of growth", Child Study, 18: 8–10.
  • McGraw, M. B. (1940), "Basic Concepts and Procedures in a Study of Behavior Development", Psychological Review, 47 (1): 79–89, doi:10.1037/h0063214.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (May 1940), "Neural maturation as exemplified in achievement of bladder control", The Journal of Pediatrics, 16 (5): 580–590, doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(40)80187-X.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (December 1940), "Neuromuscular development of the human infant as exemplified in the achievement of erect locomotion", The Journal of Pediatrics, 17 (6): 747–771, doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(40)80021-8.
  • McGraw, Myrtle Byram (1941), The child in Painting, Greystone panorama books, The Greystone press.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1941), "Development of the plantar response in healthy infants", American Journal of Diseases of Children, 61 (6): 1215–1221, doi:10.1001/archpedi.1941.02000120087005.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1941), "Neural Maturation as Exemplified in the Reaching-Prehensile Behavior of the Human Infant", The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 11 (1): 127–141, doi:10.1080/00223980.1941.9917023.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1941), "Neuromotor Maturation of Anti-Gravity Functions as Reflected in the Development of a Sitting Posture", The Pedagogical Seminary and Journal of Genetic Psychology, 59 (1): 155–175, doi:10.1080/08856559.1941.10534599.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (March 1941), "Neural maturation of the infant as exemplified in the righting reflex, or rolling from a dorsal to a prone position", The Journal of Pediatrics, 18 (3): 385–394, doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(41)80189-9.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (March 1941), "Neural Maturation as Exemplified in the Changing Reactions of the Infant to Pin Prick", Child Development, 12 (1): 31–42, doi:10.2307/1125489, JSTOR 1125489.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (March 1941), "Development of Rotary-Vestibular Reactions of the Human Infant", Child Development, 12 (1): 17–19, doi:10.2307/1125487, JSTOR 1125487.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (March 1941), "Development of Neuro-Muscular Mechanisms as Reflected in the Crawling and Creeping Behavior of the Human Infant", Pedagogical Seminary and Journal of Genetic Psychology, 58 (1): 83–111, doi:10.1080/08856559.1941.10534556.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B.; Molloy, Louise B. (September 1941), "The Pediatric Anamnesis Inaccuracies in Eliciting Developmental Data", Child Development, 12 (3): 255–265, doi:10.2307/1125725, JSTOR 1125725.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B.; Breeze, Kenneth W. (September 1941), "Quantitative Studies in the Development of Erect Locomotion", Child Development, 12 (3): 267–303, doi:10.2307/1125726, JSTOR 1125726.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1942), "Appraising test responses of infants and young children", The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 14 (1): 89–100, doi:10.1080/00223980.1942.9917113.
  • McGraw, M. B. (1942), "Johnny and Jimmy", New York Times Magazine, 22: 37.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (July 1942), "Appraising Test Responses of Infants and Young Children", Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 14 (1): 89–100, doi:10.1080/00223980.1942.9917113.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1943), The Neuromuscular Maturation of the Human Infant, New York, NY, US: Columbia University Press, ISBN 978-0028490809.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (May 1959), "The Roles of the Teacher and the Student in the Electronic World", The Modern Language Journal, 43 (5): 218–220, doi:10.2307/320911, JSTOR 320911.
  • McGraw, Myrtle B. (1964), "Need for Denial", American Psychologist, 19 (1): 56, doi:10.1037/h0039346.
  • McGraw, M. B. (1970), "Major challenges for students of infancy and early childhood", American Psychologist, 25 (8): 754–756, doi:10.1037/h0029754.
  • McGraw, Myrtle (1985), "Professional and personal blunders in child development research", The Psychological Record, 35 (2): 165, doi:10.1007/BF03394920, S2CID 149002677.
  • Dewey, John; McGraw, Myrtle BD (1987), "Introduction to growth: A study of Johnny and Jimmy", John Dewey: The later works, vol. 11, pp. 510–514.
  • McGraw, M. B. (1979), Letter to RW Oppenheim
  • McGraw, M. B. (1995), "General principles of growth", Beyond heredity and environment: Myrtle McGraw and the maturation controversy, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
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