Charles E. Osgood
Encyclopedia
Charles Egerton Osgood was a distinguished American psychologist
who developed a technique for measuring the connotative meaning
of concepts, known as the semantic differential
.
. He received his Ph.D. in Psychology from Yale University
in 1945.
He was a professor of psychology of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana from 1949 to 1984, and a research professor of the Institute of Communications Research (ICR), in the UI College of Communications. He was the Director of the ICR from 1957 to 1984. He served as president of the American Psychological Association
from 1962 to 1963.
Among his many awards were the APA's
Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award (1960), and the APA's Kurt Lewin Award (1971).
Charles Osgood died in 1991.
tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union
,
Osgood formulated a new approach to international relations called "Graduated Reciprocation
in Tension-reduction", or GRIT. This was first articulated in a paper titled, "Reciprocal Initiative",
and developed at greater length in his seminal book, An Alternative To War Or Surrender, both published in 1962.
Osgood hoped to be able to reverse the nuclear arms race
through a series of carefully calibrated,
reciprocal steps which would gradually foster greater trust between the two superpower
s.
He was appointed to the Social Science Advisory Board of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
, serving from 1964 to 1971.
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
who developed a technique for measuring the connotative meaning
Connotation
A connotation is a commonly understood subjective cultural or emotional association that some word or phrase carries, in addition to the word's or phrase's explicit or literal meaning, which is its denotation....
of concepts, known as the semantic differential
Semantic differential
Semantic differential is a type of a rating scale designed to measure the connotative meaning of objects, events, and concepts. The connotations are used to derive the attitude towards the given object, event or concept.-Semantic differential:...
.
Career
Osgood was born in Somerville, MassachusettsSomerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
. He received his Ph.D. in Psychology from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1945.
He was a professor of psychology of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana from 1949 to 1984, and a research professor of the Institute of Communications Research (ICR), in the UI College of Communications. He was the Director of the ICR from 1957 to 1984. He served as president of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
from 1962 to 1963.
Among his many awards were the APA's
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award (1960), and the APA's Kurt Lewin Award (1971).
Charles Osgood died in 1991.
GRIT
At the height of Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
,
Osgood formulated a new approach to international relations called "Graduated Reciprocation
in Tension-reduction", or GRIT. This was first articulated in a paper titled, "Reciprocal Initiative",
and developed at greater length in his seminal book, An Alternative To War Or Surrender, both published in 1962.
Osgood hoped to be able to reverse the nuclear arms race
Nuclear arms race
The nuclear arms race was a competition for supremacy in nuclear warfare between the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective allies during the Cold War...
through a series of carefully calibrated,
reciprocal steps which would gradually foster greater trust between the two superpower
Superpower
A superpower is a state with a dominant position in the international system which has the ability to influence events and its own interests and project power on a worldwide scale to protect those interests...
s.
He was appointed to the Social Science Advisory Board of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
The U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency was established as an independent agency of the United States government by the Arms Control and Disarmament Act , September 26, 1961, a bill drafted by presidential adviser John J. McCloy. Its predecessor was the U.S. Disarmament Administration, part...
, serving from 1964 to 1971.