Wright, Benjamin D.

Fisher, W. P., Jr. (2020). Wright, Benjamin D. In P. Atkinson, S. Delamont, A. Cernat, J. W. Sakshaug & R. Williams (Eds.), SAGE Research Methods Foundations. Sage Publications. https://methods.sagepub.com/foundations/wright-benjamin-d

Posted: 18 Jan 2024

See all articles by William P. Fisher

William P. Fisher

University of California, Berkeley - BEAR Center

Date Written: September 23, 2020

Abstract

Benjamin D. Wright (1926–2015), professor of education and psychology at the University of Chicago, blended qualitative and quantitative concerns in practical contributions to measurement theory, modeling, estimation, software, construct validation, and applications. Wright’s mathematical expertise and computer skills were complemented by his lifelong interest in identity development and the integrated personality; for almost 30 years, he taught a course on the psychology of becoming a teacher. Wright’s perspectives and goals were influenced by a series of strong personalities in his life who encouraged him to be imaginative, bold, mathematically rigorous, and pragmatic. From the mid-1950s until suffering a cerebral accident in 2001, Wright was actively involved in applying innovative research methods across a wide range of fields. In 2003, for his accomplishments as the foremost proponent advancing developments in the use of probabilistic models for measurement introduced by Georg Rasch, Wright was honored with a Career Recognition Award from the Association of Test Publishers, and with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute for Objective Measurement. Four of his students (J. Michael Linacre, Geoffrey Masters, Robert Mislevy, and Mark Wilson) have been recognized with the Samuel Messick Lecture Award by Educational Testing Service. After providing a brief biographical overview, this entry summarizes Wright's career trajectory and main contributions to research methods, focusing on his reasons for insisting on identified models; his development of simplified estimation methods, tests of model fit, software, and applications across multiple fields; and his support for new professional societies, publications, and meetings in the emerging field. Concluding comments focus on an analysis of Wright's compelling historical and philosophical arguments as to what matters in science, arguments that continue to lead in surprising and productive directions.

Keywords: biographies; University of Chicago; Rasch models; history; measurement; metrology; standards; scaling methods; econometrics; psychometrics; psychology; qualitative methods; quantitative methods;

JEL Classification: B23, B25, C13, C51, C83, C87, I21, N01

Suggested Citation

Fisher, William P., Wright, Benjamin D. (September 23, 2020). Fisher, W. P., Jr. (2020). Wright, Benjamin D. In P. Atkinson, S. Delamont, A. Cernat, J. W. Sakshaug & R. Williams (Eds.), SAGE Research Methods Foundations. Sage Publications. https://methods.sagepub.com/foundations/wright-benjamin-d , Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4697021

William P. Fisher (Contact Author)

University of California, Berkeley - BEAR Center ( email )

Berkeley, CA 94704
United States

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