[1] Lawton was born in Atlanta and received his undergraduate degree from Haverford College in 1947 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Columbia University in 1952.
[2] Lawton began his career as the chief psychologist at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.
[2] Lawton held academic positions at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.
[2] In the early 1960s, he conducted research on the design of living spaces for older adults, including those with Alzheimer's disease.
[2] His work influenced the services provided at the Philadelphia Geriatric Center and elder care practices in the United States.