How Old Is Penny Patterson? Penny Patterson Birthday
Penny Patterson was born on February 13, 1947 and is 77 years old now.
Birthday: February 13, 1947
How Old - Age: 77
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Penny Patterson - Biography
Francine "Penny" Patterson (born February 13, 1947) is an American animal psychologist. She is best known for teaching a modified form of American Sign Language, which she calls "Gorilla Sign Language", or GSL, to a gorilla named Koko beginning in 1972.
Patterson is the second oldest of seven children and daughter of C. H. Patterson, a professor of psychology, and Frances Spano Patterson. She was born in Chicago and moved with her family to Edina, Minnesota, when she was young, and then to Urbana, Illinois. Her mother died of cancer when Patterson was a freshman in college and the youngest of her siblings was just five years old. This triggered her interest in developmental psychology, a theme which pervaded much of her later work.
Patterson is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Santa Clara University and a member of the Board of Consultants at the Center for Cross Cultural Communication in Washington, D.C.. She is the Editor-in-Chief of the Gorilla journal.
Patterson's work has garnered some controversy as several former employees have questioned her scientific methods and findings, her attention to the welfare of the gorillas, and her overall professionalism. One allegation, made by former employees, said that she would routinely show her nipples to Koko and demand that other employees, both female and male, present their nipples to the gorilla. A sexual harassment lawsuit over this matter was settled out of court.
