Marianne Simmel facts for kids

Marianne Leonore Simmel (born January 3, 1923 – died March 24, 2010) was a German-American scientist. She was a psychologist who studied how our brains work. She was especially interested in cognitive neuropsychology. This field looks at how brain injuries or problems affect our thinking and behavior.

Who Was Marianne Simmel?

Marianne Simmel was born in Jena, Germany. Her grandfather, Georg Simmel, was a well-known thinker. Marianne's parents were both doctors. She had three younger brothers and sisters.

Moving to America

In March 1940, Marianne and her family moved to the United States. They were refugees, which means they had to leave their home country. They settled in New York City.

When she was 17, Marianne had only finished eighth grade. She worked as a housekeeper to help her family.

Education and Career

Even though she started with little formal schooling, Marianne worked very hard. Nine years later, she earned her Ph.D. from Harvard University. This is a very high degree in education.

After her studies, she became a professor. She taught at the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She also taught at Brandeis University.

What Did She Study?

Marianne Simmel made important discoveries about how our minds work.

Seeing Life in Shapes

One of her famous studies was with a scientist named Fritz Heider. They showed people simple shapes moving on a screen. These shapes were just lines and circles.

But when people watched them, they often saw more than just shapes. They imagined the shapes had feelings or were trying to do things. For example, a circle might look like it was "chasing" a triangle.

This study showed that humans naturally try to tell stories. We often imagine reasons for what we see, even if it's just simple movements. This idea is important for understanding "theory of mind." That's our ability to understand that other people have their own thoughts and feelings.

Phantom Limbs

Marianne Simmel also studied something called the phantom limb phenomenon. This happens when someone loses an arm or a leg. Even though the limb is gone, the person can still feel it. They might feel pain or itching in the missing limb.

Her work helped scientists understand more about how our brains create our sense of our own bodies.

Later Life

Marianne Simmel passed away in North Eastham, Massachusetts. Her work helped us learn a lot about the human brain and how we understand the world around us.