David Krech

David Krech was an American psychologist known for his work in the field of experimental psychology. He made significant contributions to the understanding of learning and motivation, as well as the effects of stress on behavior. He was also a founding member of the American Psychological Association's Division of Comparative Psychology.

David Krech's main research interests were in the areas of learning, motivation, and the effects of stress on behavior. He was particularly interested in studying the role of the brain in these processes and conducted many experiments to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying behavior.

David Krech made several notable contributions to the field of psychology. One of his most significant contributions was the development of the theory of "optimal arousal." This theory proposes that individuals have an optimal level of arousal, or activation, that leads to the best performance in tasks. He also conducted pioneering research on the effects of stress on behavior and was a key figure in establishing the field of comparative psychology.

David Krech received his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Chicago in 1938. He then went on to earn his Ph.D. in psychology from the same institution in 1942. He conducted his postdoctoral research at Northwestern University and the University of Rochester before becoming a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

David Krech received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the field of psychology. He was elected as a fellow of the American Psychological Association in 1952 and received the American Psychological Foundation's Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award in 1975. He also served as the president of the Western Psychological Association and the Society for Psychophysiological Research.