The 1973 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine: Recognition for Behavioral Science?

The Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for 1973 was awarded to 3 ethologists: Karl von Frisch, Konrad Lorenz, and Nikolaas Tinbergen. This was a landmark event in the history of the field of ethology and potentially for the behavioral sciences more broadly. For the first time, the prize was awarded for research of a purely behavioral nature. The language used in making the award emphasized the implications of ethological work for human health and appeared to suggest that more such awards might be forthcoming; few were. The author provides an overview of the 3 men, their work, the events surrounding the award, the controversy that arose, and the significance of the award as viewed in contemporary perspective.