Otto Klineberg
Encyclopedia
Otto Klineberg was a Canadian
psychologist
.
He held professorships in social psychology
at Columbia University
and the University of Paris
. His pioneering work in the 1930s on the intelligence of white and black students in the United States
and his evidence as an expert witness in Delaware
were instrumental in winning the Supreme Court
school segregation case, Brown v. Board of Education
, in 1954. Through his work in UNESCO
and elsewhere, he helped to promote psychology internationally.
. He obtained a Bachelor's degree from McGill University
in 1919, a Master's degree in philosophy from Harvard University
in 1920, a medical degree from McGill in 1925 and a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University
in 1927.
He remained at Columbia as chairman of the newly created department of social psychology
.
He married Selma Gintzler in 1933, with whom he had a daughter and two sons.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Klineberg held a senior post in the social sciences in UNESCO
. He helped found the International Social Science Council
and the International Union of Psychological Science, on which he served on the executive committee (1951–1969), as secretary-general (1955–1960) and as president (1960–1963).
From 1961 to 1982 he was professor at the University of Paris
, where he directed the International Center for Intergroup Relations until 1982.
In 1963 Klineberg was president of the 17th International Congress of Psychology, held in Washington DC. He was also president of the World Federation for Mental Health
, the Inter-America Society of Psychology, the Eastern Psychological Association of the United States and
the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.
On his retirement to Manhattan
in 1982, he taught part-time at the City University of New York
until 1990. He died following a brief period of Parkinson's disease
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
psychologist
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
.
He held professorships in social psychology
Social psychology
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. By this definition, scientific refers to the empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. His pioneering work in the 1930s on the intelligence of white and black students in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and his evidence as an expert witness in Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
were instrumental in winning the Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
school segregation case, Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
, in 1954. Through his work in UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and elsewhere, he helped to promote psychology internationally.
Career
Born in Quebec, Klineberg was raised in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. He obtained a Bachelor's degree from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1919, a Master's degree in philosophy from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1920, a medical degree from McGill in 1925 and a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1927.
He remained at Columbia as chairman of the newly created department of social psychology
Social psychology
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. By this definition, scientific refers to the empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all...
.
He married Selma Gintzler in 1933, with whom he had a daughter and two sons.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Klineberg held a senior post in the social sciences in UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. He helped found the International Social Science Council
International Social Science Council
The International Social Science Council is an international organisation that aims to promote the social and behavioural sciences. It was founded in 1952, under the auspices of UNESCO.-External links:* **...
and the International Union of Psychological Science, on which he served on the executive committee (1951–1969), as secretary-general (1955–1960) and as president (1960–1963).
From 1961 to 1982 he was professor at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, where he directed the International Center for Intergroup Relations until 1982.
In 1963 Klineberg was president of the 17th International Congress of Psychology, held in Washington DC. He was also president of the World Federation for Mental Health
World Federation for Mental Health
The World Federation for Mental Health is an international membership organization founded in 1948 to advance, among all peoples and nations, the prevention of mental and emotional disorders, the proper treatment and care of those with such disorders, and the promotion of mental health. Members...
, the Inter-America Society of Psychology, the Eastern Psychological Association of the United States and
the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.
On his retirement to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in 1982, he taught part-time at the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
until 1990. He died following a brief period of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.
Awards and honors
- National Research Council Fellowship, 1928
- Butler Medal, Columbia University, 1950
- Kurt Lewin Memorial Award, 1956
- Honorary Ph.D., University of Brazil, Rio de Janiero, 1958
- Honorary Ph.D., Howard UniversityHoward UniversityHoward University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
, Washington DC, 1961 - Honorary Ph.D., Drew UniversityDrew UniversityDrew University is a private university located in Madison, New Jersey.Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955...
, Madison, WisconsinMadison, WisconsinMadison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, 1972 - Medal, University of LiègeUniversity of LiègeThe University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
, BelgiumBelgiumBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, 1974 - Annual award, International Society for Educational, Cultural and Scientific Interchanges, 1978
- American Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological AssociationThe 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 Award for Contributions of Psychology in the Public Interest, 1979 - Award from Brazil, Contributions to the development of psychology in Brazil, 1979
- Honorary life member, New York Academy of Science, 1983
- Social Psychology Award, New York State Psychological Association, 1984
- APF Gold Medal Award, Lifetime Contribution of a Psychologist in the Public Interest, 1985
- American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology, 1991
Selected bibliography
- Experimental study of speed and others factors in ″racial″ differences, New York, 1928.
- Negro intelligence and selective migration, Columbia University PressColumbia University PressColumbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by James D. Jordan and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fields of literary and cultural studies, history, social work, sociology,...
, 1935. - Race differences, New York : Harper and brothers, 1935.
- Characteristics of the American Negro. Harper and brothers, 1944
- Social psychology, H. Holt and Company, 1948
- Tensions Affecting International Understanding. A Survey of Research. Social Science Research Council, 1950
- Race and psychology, Paris : UNESCO, 1951.
- Nationalism and tribalism among African students. A study of social identity (with Marisa Zavalloni), 1969.
- Étudiants du Tiers-monde en Europe. Problèmes d'adaptation, une étude effectuée en Autriche, en France, aux Pays-Bas et en Yougoslavie (with Jeanne Ben Brika), Paris : Mouton, 1972.
- Vers une meilleure compréhension internationale : l'apport contemporain de la psychologie, Éditions Inter-nationales, Paris, 1974.
- International educational exchange : an assessment of its nature and its prospects, (with Heine von Alemann) École des hautes études en sciences socialesÉcole des Hautes Études en Sciences SocialesThe École des hautes études en sciences sociales is a leading French institution for research and higher education, a Grand Établissement. Its mission is research and research training in the social sciences, including the relationship these latter maintain with the natural and life sciences...
, Paris, 1976.