Describe the work of Juan Huarte in anticipating the contributions of Galton.
Three hundred years before Galton had given the importance of individual difference; a Spanish physician had already recognized this. His name was Juan Harte. He published a book named The Examination of Talented individuals. In this book he had discussed in detail about the individual differences.
He suggested that if children from a very tender age are educated, their whole education can be planned out. By planning early in their life, things can be set up, looking after their abilities.
They can choose their career path way before the others. He gave an example that a student having flair for music, can be made to learn music from a young age. By given him or her training at such a younger age the child can learn so much and polish his or her skills.
Harte’s book received a lot of appreciation from peers. His ideas were not pursued until the work of Galton came to light. Even though Helmholtz, Fechner, and Weber gave ideas about individual differences they did not bother doing any investigation. Wundt and Titchener did not even consider legitimate.