Richard Herrnstein was an American psychologist best known for his work in the fields of intelligence and behavior. He gained significant attention for co-authoring the controversial book, The Bell Curve, with Charles Murray in 1994, which discussed the relationship between intelligence, social class, and race. Herrnstein's research focused on the role of genetics and environment in shaping intelligence. Born on April 20, 1930, Herrnstein served as a professor at Harvard University and contributed to various psychological theories. He was also known for his work on operant conditioning and the concept of the matching law, which explains how individuals allocate their responses based on the rewards they receive.