On the Psychology of Individual Differences

L. William Stern (1871 – 1938) was a German scholar whose hallmark contribution to psychology was, in his own view, a comprehensive system of thought he called 'critical personalism.' Within that system, Stern offered a philosophically sophisticated understanding of the psychological development of human personalities and, by extension, a vision of the dynamics of socio-ethically flourishing human communities.

Serge Nicolas is Professor of psychology at the Université Paris Cité and a senior member of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF). Professor Nicolas’ research interests include experimental psychology, the history of French and German psychology and Alfred Binet. He has published numerous articles and books on William Stern in French and English including ‘William Stern and the establishment of a psychology of testimony in Germany’ in European Yearbook of the History of Psychology (2022).

James T. Lamiell is Professor Emeritus of psychology at Georgetown University, USA. Professor Lamiell is a three-time Fulbright scholar to Germany and has been engaged with the writings of William Stern for over 30 years. As a visiting professor at the University of Hamburg in 2004, he delivered a series of public lectures on Stern’s life and works. He has published numerous articles and books on William Stern including Uncovering Critical Personalism: Readings from William Stern’s Contributions to Scientific Psychology (2021). He is also the former president of APA Divisions 24 (Society of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology) and 26 (Society for the History of Psychology).