Marion A. (Gus) Wenger

Wenger made significant strides in the fields of human development and psychophysiology. Wenger was known for blending psychology and physiology in his research which at the time was fairly uncommon. He contributed his own original work in psychophysiology when he published Studies of Autonomic Balance in Army Air Forces Personnel in 1948. After spending a significant amount of time at the Santa Ana Army Air Base working on a test battery with colleague J.P. Guilford, he was able to conduct his own personal research (which led to the creation of Studies of Autonomic Balance in Army Air Forces Personnel). The monograph was a part of the Aviation Psychology Program of the Army Air Forces. What sparked interest in conducting this research was the examination of a previous study done at the Fels Research Institute of Antioch College in 1941. In this previous study, researchers examined child participants and how certain environmental factors affected their autonomic nervous system and system of skeletal musculature. Neither of these factors were reasonably measured to an adequate level before it was put on hold due to World War II escalating; however, researchers saw a great deal of promise and potential in future tests.

Wenger worked as a research assistant at the University of Chicago where he examined children with abnormal mental health problems, working with his colleague F. N. Freeman on a test battery that was used within a longitudinal study that focused on mental development. By 1938, he was assigned as chair of the Department of Psychophysiology at the Samuel S. Fels Research Institute. Wenger also was offered an Assistant Professor position at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. In 1944, he was asked by J.P. Guliford to work for the Santa Ana Army Air Force Team as a research assistant. During this time, he assisted in developing a test battery to help choose affective Army Air Force recruits. He finally joined the Department of Psychology at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1945 where he worked until his retirement in the mid-70’s.

Wenger graduated from the University of Michigan by the late 1920’s with a BA degree. After working a few years in his family business, he pursued a Doctorate in educational psychology first at the University of Michigan and received his degree from the University of Iowa by 1935.

Marion Augustus "Gus" Wenger (March 12, 1907 – July 26, 1982) was an American psychologist who specialized in psychophysiology. He was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. At an early age he was nicknamed Gus. Wenger died at the age of 75 due to heart failure.