Early women members of the British Psychological Society: Challenges and achievements

Abstract

After sketching the background to British psychology in the early twentieth century, I will describe a sample of the sixteen women who were members of the British Psychological Society in its first two decades. I will then focus on what difference it made being a woman: (a) the challenges they faced in terms of limited access to education and restricted opportunities for employment; (b) their achievements and career paths; and (c) enabling factors such as personal qualities and strategies employed, including the management of their personal lives and support networks.