A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Social psychology as a science of individual behavior and consciousness. The explication of pluralistic ignorance is most often attributed to social psychologist floyd h. Allport is rightly regarded as the founder of social psychology as a scientific discipline. Upon publication in 1924, the book became an immediate success. Gordon willard allport spent nearly his entire academic career at harvard, completing both his bachelors degree and his phd at the university, and serving as a faculty member from 1930 1967.
Another factor facilitating allports work on social issues was the. In his 1924 book, allport described the illusion of universality as the tendency of. Allport began working at harvard in 1924, and later left to accept a position at dartmouth. Gordon allport project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Mar 31, 2020 gordon allport was a pioneering psychologist often referred to as one of the founders of personality psychology. Its psychological and social aspects, at harvard, perhaps the first offered in the u. By gordon allports classic definition, social psychology is the scientific attempt to understand and explain how the thought, feeling, and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others allport 1954. Floyd henry allport august 22, 1890 october 15, 1979 was an american psychologist who is often considered the father of experimental social psychology, having played a key role in the creation of social psychology as a legitimate field of behavioral science. Floyd henry allport papers an inventory of his papers at. Understanding gordon allports trait theory of personality.
Recent psychoanalytic contributions to social theory and. Part of the springer series in social psychology book series sssoc. Floyd henry allport is the author of personality traits 4. Indeed, in the years since, it has often been cited as the basis for allport s claim to being considered the father of experimental social psychology. Allport s most influential book, a gracefully written volume entitled personality. Biography considered a founder of social psychology, floyd henry allport 18901978 was professor of social and political psychology at syracuse universitys maxwell school of citizenship and public affairs between 1924 and 1956.
Floyd henry allport 18901978 is widely regarded as a significant figure in the establishment of experimental social psychology in the united states in the early twentieth century. Though the 1908 date is significant, a more meaningful date for the emergence of scientific social psychology is the year 1924, because it marks the appearance of floyd allports seminal textbook, which explicitly delineates the domain of social psychology as the experimental study of social behavior. Biography floyd henry allport considered a founder of social psychology, floyd henry allport 18901978 was professor of social and political psychology at the maxwell school of citizenship and public affairs from the time it was founded in 1924 until 1956. Gordon allport was one of the pioneer trait theorists who attempted to list the traits that make an individuals personality. Floyd allport encouraged his younger brother to study psychology, and he was the teaching assistant for allports first psychology course. The individualization of the social and the desocialization of the. Psychology is the science which studies behavior and consciousness. Floyd allport had graduated from harvard in 19, and then continued in the graduate program in psychology. It was standard reading for twentyfive years and was revised as patterns and growth in personality in 1961. Allport argues that certain kinds of people tend to gather or converge in certain kinds of places.
One of the first psychologists to study personality, allport researched human attitudes, prejudices, and religious beliefs. During his first year at harvard, he taught what was most likely the first personality psychology class offered in the united. Appointed a social science instructor at harvard university in 1924, he became professor of psychology six years later and, in the last year of his life, professor of social ethics. Start studying chapter 1 the discipline of social psychology. Allport 18901971 was the second in a family of four childrenall boys. At the same time, however, allport vigorously argued for the independence of personality from social psychology. By 1930, he returned to harvard where he would remain for the rest of his academic career.
Allports criticism of le bon and william mcdougall, a britishborn u. Pluralistic ignorance grew out of allports research on the illusion of universality of opinions. His famous 1924 textbook and his early experimental work helped set the stage for a social psychology characterized by individualism, behaviorism, and experiment. Floyd henry allport is widely considered to be the first psychologist to systematically study group processes and social relationships via the experimental method. Of these two terms behavior is placed first because it is an explanatory principle, and therefore more fundamental. Because of inadequate hospital facilities at the time, allport s father actually turned their home into a makeshift hospital, with patients as well as nurses residing there. Gordon willard allport november 11, 1897 october 9, 1967 was an american psychologist. Allport conducted various experiments placing the participants either alone or in groups. He often told the story of his frustrating meeting with sigmund freud in vienna, where the two psychologists sat in silence, each waiting for the other to speak, until allport attempted to make small talk and freud responded by attempting to plumb the psychological depths of allport s comments. Gordon allport, american psychologist and educator who developed an original theory of personality. Response to social stimulation in the group chapter 11 in social psychology. His book social psychology 1924 impacted all future writings in the field. Floyd allport and the master problem of social psychology.
Gordon allport was a pioneering psychologist often referred to as one of the founders of personality psychology. His textbook social psychology 1924 was the means by which social psychology began to take hold as an experimental science. Floyd allport is considered a founder of experimental social psychology, in part for his theoretical rigor and emphasis on measurement, and in part for his popular 1924 textbook social psychology, which went through editions over the ensuing 50 years. And majority of the experiments showed that people in groups performed better than those placed alone. It was allport who coined the term social facilitation in 1924. If no match exists, you will be prompted to add a new person to the tree. Gordon willard allport was an american psychologist. He contributed to the formation of values scales and rejected both a psychoanalytic approach to personality, which he thought often was. Floyd allports social psychology textbook, published in 1924, is credited with a. His theory of personality, which rejected both freudian psychology and behaviorism, emphasized the uniqueness of the individual and.
A mead project source page originally published as. Narrative psychology search theorists and key figures. Adding trainee for floyd allport type a name and select match from the dropdown list. The same term is frequently employed by a single writer to represent distinctly different levels of behavior.
Floyd allport s younger brother and author of the 1924 textbook him and a number of other social psychologists formed the society for the psychological study of social issues. Allport returned to teach at harvard from 1924 to 1926. At a time when behaviorism held sway in psychology departments in the u. Gordon allport and the science of selfhood nicholson, ian, micholson, ian a m on.
A psychological interpretation 1937, stressed the normal rather than the pathological. Gordon allport and his brothers grew up surrounded by their fathers patients, nurses, and medical equipment, and he and his brothers often assisted their father in the clinic. His book, social psychology 1924, impacted all future writings in the. A hugely influential figure within the field of social psychology, allport s groundbreaking book social psychology published in 1924 was instrumental in establishing social. Gordon allport was born in montezuma, indiana, in 1897, the youngest of four brothers. More precisely, it is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. Much in the manner of his brother floyds social psychology of 1924, gordon allport s book served as a seminal text and promoted the development of courses on personality within academic departments of psychology. This definition has been influential and instructive for researchers partitioning of the field at many stages of its development from the. I first heard about gordon w allport in a theories of personality class i recently took. Dr floyd henry allport 18901978 find a grave memorial. Examples of allport s convergence theory if violent people converge, the situation is ripe for group violence such as a riot. His second fellowship enabled gordon to study psychology in europe. This book was the first to present an experimental view of social psychology.
Floyd henry allport papers an inventory of his papers at the. Floyd henry allport august 22, 1890 october 15, 1979 an american psychologist often considered the father of experimental social psychology, 1 floyd henry allport played a key role in the creation of social psychology as a legitimate field of behavioral science. His book, social psychology 1924, impacted all future writings in the field. The phenomena we shall study in this book comprise both behavior and. Richard cabot who taught both cardiology and social ethics at harvard.
In 1924, allport began teaching in the department of social ethics at harvard. During his career he played a key role in bringing about. Floyd allport developed convergence theory in 1924. Allport was one of the first psychologists to focus on the study of the personality, and is often referred to as one of the founding figures of personality psychology. We provide an overview of the type and trait theory of personality as developed by this famous psychologist. Throughout this century social psychology has tended to swing between an individualistic orientation and an emphasis on group processes. This method is found in its extreme form in davenports trait book, where tics, affability, and love of fishing are presented as parallel. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Floyd henry allport social psychology 1924 antiquarian psych sociology book. Chapter 1 the discipline of social psychology flashcards. Meduna observed that epileptic seizures tended to reduce schizophrenic symptoms in patients and. A shy and studious boy, he was teased quite a bit and lived a fairly isolated childhood. Allport insisted instead that collective behaviour involves.
The early theoretical works of mcdougall 1908 and ross 1908 had indicated the need for this special field of study, but not until the appearance of allports social psychology, in 1924, was. Social psychology as a science of individual behavior and consciousness floyd henry allport table of contents. He rejected two of the dominant schools of thought in psychology at the time, psychoanalysis and behaviorism, in favor of his own approach that stressed the importance of individual differences and situational variables. Floyd allport s book in particular with its focus on the interaction of individuals and their social context and its emphasis on the use of experimentation and. Gordon allport, floyd allport, and the politics of personality september 2000 journal of the history of the behavioral sciences iam nicholson. What is social psychology learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Floyd henry allport project gutenberg selfpublishing. Novel ideas, witty remarks, and personal gossip, diversions sanctioned for us. Recent psychoanalytic contributions to social theory and practice floyd henry allport. Floyd henry allport social psychology 1924 antiquarian.
Allport 1890 1978 october is, 1978, was a dark day for psychology, for. One was awarded in response to an innovative book on personality theory he coauthored with his brother, floyd, who was a prominent social psychologist. He was granted two important fellowships while working on his doctorate. His roommate has had a very detailed book on sex on his desk for several. Classics in the history of psychology allport 1927. Floyd allports younger brother and author of the 1924 textbook him and a number of other social psychologists formed the society for the psychological study of social issues. Groves, professor of sociology at boston university. However, it was on the internet where i discovered book the nature of prejudice. Social psychology is a science that studies the influences of our situations, with special attention to how we view and affect one another. One of gordon allport s most significant contributions to psychology was. His father, a physicianentrepreneur, combined a general medical practice with a variety of business endeavors founding a cooperative drug company, building and renting apartments, and the.
1124 1274 1158 321 69 833 361 857 457 1475 137 155 652 294 11 843 136 713 493 323 1198 1536 1117 913 1113 465 477 823 1564 1018 238 455 708 267 1181 359 233 801 858 957 769 676