Navigating Neuropsychology 201 | Neuropsych Bite: Learning from Giants – A Conversation With Dr. Antonio Puente
Oct 15, 2026
Dr. Antonio Puente, a prominent neuropsychologist, professor, and psychology leader, reflects on learning from giants Roger Sperry, Alexander Luria, and Ivan Pavlov. He discusses Luria’s socially contextual approach, Sperry’s split-brain research and questions about consciousness, plus advocacy, professional leadership, family life, and staying grounded.
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Three Foundations Of Modern Neuropsychology
- Sperry linked hemispheric specialization to split-brain patients, while Luria framed cognition as interconnected functional systems.
- Luria also emphasized analyzing how patients solve tasks, not merely whether their answers are correct.
Pavlov Was Studying The Brain
- Antonio Puente discovered that Pavlov’s work centered on the brain rather than the learning and conditioning labels later attached to it.
- Soviet psychology subsequently elevated Luria’s social, historical, and contextual approach over Western quantification.
Stalin’s Decree Reshaped Soviet Psychology
- Antonio Puente recounted how Bechterev’s evaluation of Stalin preceded his poisoning and a decree banning Western psychology.
- The new Soviet policy required articles to explain their socialist perspective while adopting Luria’s methods.