Origins & Early Life

Robert J. Sternberg (born December 8, 1949) is an American psychologist and psychometrician. He is a professor of Human Development at Cornell University. He is a distinguished associate of the Psychometrics Centre at the University of Cambridge.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Among his major contributions to psychology, the most notable are the triarchic theory of intelligence and several influential theories related to creativity, wisdom, thinking styles, love, hate, and leadership. A Review of General Psychology survey, published in 2002, ranked Sternberg as the 60th most cited psychologist of the 20th century. Sternberg was born on December 8, 1949, to a Jewish family, in New Jersey. Sternberg has written that he suffered from test anxiety as a child. As a result, he became an inadequate test taker.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

This upset him and he reasoned that a test was not an adequate measurement of his true knowledge and academic abilities. When he later retook a test in a room that consisted of younger students, he felt more comfortable and his scores increased dramatically. Sternberg later constructed the Sternberg Test of Mental Ability (STOMA), his first intelligence test. Sternberg was an undergraduate...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahmed Zaki (actor) — Contemporary (Born in 1949) (1949): Iconic Egyptian actor celebrated for intense dramatic performances and masterful impersonation.
• Alan Menken — Contemporary (Born in 1949) (1949): Award-winning American composer celebrated for Disney film scores and Broadway musicals.
• Alexei Shchusev — Contemporary (Died in 1949) (1949): Master Russian architect spanning Art Nouveau, Constructivism, and Stalinist styles.
• Adolph Menzel — Shared historical date (12-08 · Born) (1815): Pioneering German Realist master, celebrated for his detailed etchings and genre scenes.
• Antônio Carlos Jobim — Shared historical date (12-08 · Died) (1994): Pioneering composer of Bossa Nova, merging samba with cool jazz.
• Alice Bailey — Historical peer (Died in 1949) (1949): American esoteric writer known for neo-theosophical works and pioneering New Age concepts.
• Amadeo Giannini — Historical peer (Died in 1949) (1949): Pioneering American banker who founded the Bank of Italy and influenced modern finance.
• Abba Eban — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Aileen Wuornos — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): American serial killer known for murdering seven male clients in Florida.
• Aristide Maillol — Shared historical date (12-08 · Born) (1861): Master French sculptor and painter, renowned for monumental works and decorative arts.
• 1949 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1949
• December 8 (12-08) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 8