Herbart, Johann Friedrich

Johann Friedrich (1776-1841), a distinguished German psychologist. He was a student of Fichte at Jena and became a professor in the universities of Konigsberg and Gottingen. His psychological lectures and writings are celebrated for their application to educational questions. Students of his theory are known as Herbartians. Among other doctrines emphasized by him that now seem but common sense is that of interest, namely, that a child can learn to best advantage when interested in a subject.