Samuel A. Stouffer
Encyclopedia
Samuel Andrew Stouffer (June 6, 1900 – August 24, 1960) was a prominent American sociologist
and developer of survey research techniques. Stouffer spent much of his career attempting to answer the fundamental question - How does one measure an attitude?
Dr. Stouffer served as a professor of sociology at both the University of Chicago
and Harvard University
, and also directed the Laboratory of Social Relations at Harvard.
, Stouffer received a Bachelor of Arts
at Morningside College
, Sioux City in 1921, then went on to earn a Master of Arts
in English at Harvard University
in 1923. He returned to Sac City in 1923 to manage and edit the Sac City Sun until 1926. During that time, he married Ruth McBurney in 1924, with whom he would have three children. Dr. Stouffer earned his PhD
in sociology in 1930 at the University of Chicago
. His dissertation was “An Experimental Comparison of Statistical and Case-History Methods of Attitude Research”. He then served at various a professor of sociology, statistics, and social statistics at universities such as the University of Chicago, the University of London
, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
.
Stouffer surveyed over a half million American soldiers during World War II
using interviews, over two hundred questionnaires, and other techniques to determine their attitudes on everything from integration to their officers’ performance. Their answers, almost always complex and often also counterintuitive, reveal individuals both defining and defined by their society and their primary groups. Stouffer’s work in World War II led to the Expert and Combat Infantrymen’s Badges, revision of pay scales, the demobilization point system, and influenced what appeared in Yank, the Army Weekly, Stars & Stripes, and Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight” propaganda films. Additionally, it was Stouffer and his colleagues who during their research for The American Soldier developed the important sociological concept of “relative deprivation
”, which roughly stated is the idea that one determines his status based on comparison with others.
In the summer of 1954, 500 interviewers under Professor Stouffer’s supervision polled a cross section of 6000 Americans to determine their attitudes on nonconformist behavior. Through both anecdotal and highly disciplined research data, Stouffer illuminated the attitudes of Americans to nonconformist behavior in general, and to the intolerance of the McCarthy Era in particular. Although he found no “national neurosis
”, what he did find was that Americans remained mostly concerned about their day-today existence – an important discovery in the face of an increasingly mass-culture society. He also found differing levels of tolerance based on socio-economic factors.
Among his other major works is Social Research to Test Ideas, (The Free Press, 1962).
He also consulted with scores of private and public institutes, a partial listing of which includes:
University of California,
novels and listening to baseball on the radio. His correspondence reveals a clear thinking pragmatist with a deep sense of responsibility to his society and to his profession. As James Davis writes in the introduction to Communism, Conformity and Civil Liberties (reprinted in 1992 by Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick), “Sam was a great sociologist….”
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and developer of survey research techniques. Stouffer spent much of his career attempting to answer the fundamental question - How does one measure an attitude?
Dr. Stouffer served as a professor of sociology at both the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and 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...
, and also directed the Laboratory of Social Relations at Harvard.
Biography
Born in Sac City, IowaSac City, Iowa
Sac City is a city in and the county seat of Sac County, Iowa, United States, located in the rolling hills along the valley of the North Raccoon River, in one of America's prime agricultural regions. U.S. Route 20 bisects the city, forming its Main Street, and the city is one of 45 designated Main...
, Stouffer received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
at Morningside College
Morningside College
Morningside College is a private, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside College is a private, four-year, co-educational liberal arts institution. Morningside has 21 buildings on a ...
, Sioux City in 1921, then went on to earn a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in English at 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 1923. He returned to Sac City in 1923 to manage and edit the Sac City Sun until 1926. During that time, he married Ruth McBurney in 1924, with whom he would have three children. Dr. Stouffer earned his PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in sociology in 1930 at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. His dissertation was “An Experimental Comparison of Statistical and Case-History Methods of Attitude Research”. He then served at various a professor of sociology, statistics, and social statistics at universities such as the University of Chicago, the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
.
Studies in Social Psychology in World War II: The American Soldier.
(Princeton University Press, 1949).Stouffer surveyed over a half million American soldiers during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
using interviews, over two hundred questionnaires, and other techniques to determine their attitudes on everything from integration to their officers’ performance. Their answers, almost always complex and often also counterintuitive, reveal individuals both defining and defined by their society and their primary groups. Stouffer’s work in World War II led to the Expert and Combat Infantrymen’s Badges, revision of pay scales, the demobilization point system, and influenced what appeared in Yank, the Army Weekly, Stars & Stripes, and Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight” propaganda films. Additionally, it was Stouffer and his colleagues who during their research for The American Soldier developed the important sociological concept of “relative deprivation
Relative deprivation
Relative deprivation is the experience of being deprived of something to which one believes oneself to be entitled to have. It refers to the discontent people feel when they compare their positions to others and realize that they have less than them....
”, which roughly stated is the idea that one determines his status based on comparison with others.
Communism, Conformity & Civil Liberties: A Cross Section of the Nation Speaks its Mind
(Doubleday & Co., 1955).In the summer of 1954, 500 interviewers under Professor Stouffer’s supervision polled a cross section of 6000 Americans to determine their attitudes on nonconformist behavior. Through both anecdotal and highly disciplined research data, Stouffer illuminated the attitudes of Americans to nonconformist behavior in general, and to the intolerance of the McCarthy Era in particular. Although he found no “national neurosis
Neurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
”, what he did find was that Americans remained mostly concerned about their day-today existence – an important discovery in the face of an increasingly mass-culture society. He also found differing levels of tolerance based on socio-economic factors.
Among his other major works is Social Research to Test Ideas, (The Free Press, 1962).
Activities
Professor Stouffer was a delegate to the International Conference on Population in Paris, 1938, President of the American Sociological Society 1952-3, President of the American Association of Public Opinion Research 1953-54, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, the American Statistical Association, the Sociological Research Association, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, the Population Association of America, the Psychometric Association, and the Harvard and Cosmos Clubs.He also consulted with scores of private and public institutes, a partial listing of which includes:
- American Standards Association,
- Cooperative Test Service of the American Council on Education,
University of California,
- American Economic Association,
- Population Association of America,
- Atomic Scientists of Chicago,
- National Committee on Atomic Information,
- The American Psychoanalytic Association.
Personality
Stouffer is described by his family and those who knew him well as a gentleman of warmth, compassion, restless energy, high standards, depth, and a puckish sense of humor. His academic lectures, through which he often chain-smoked, were littered with allusions and quotations from Shakespeare, and these would often be accompanied by baseball statistics. Deeply intellectually curious and impatient for survey results, Prof. Stouffer would frequently sit by the IBM punched card sifting machine to see the raw answers to his queries. (These traits help to explain how he produced the classic Communism, Conformity and Civil Liberties so quickly). In his few free hours he favored Mickey SpillaneMickey Spillane
Frank Morrison Spillane , better known as Mickey Spillane, was an American author of crime novels, many featuring his signature detective character, Mike Hammer. More than 225 million copies of his books have sold internationally...
novels and listening to baseball on the radio. His correspondence reveals a clear thinking pragmatist with a deep sense of responsibility to his society and to his profession. As James Davis writes in the introduction to Communism, Conformity and Civil Liberties (reprinted in 1992 by Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick), “Sam was a great sociologist….”
Legacy
Samuel Stouffer’s influence reaches well beyond military history and sociology. His work is cited in journals as diverse as Child Development Abstract, The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, and Commentary. His research has had a lasting effect on polling procedures and analysis, market research and interpretation, race relations, population and nuclear policies, education, and economics. Additionally, his clear, honest writing style, free of unexplained jargon and “bureaucratese”, remains a model of the simple, elegant use of the English language.Sources
- Who Was Who in America, vol IV, 1961-1968. (St. Louis: Von Hoffman Press, 1968), 910. John A. Garraty, ed.
- Dictionary of American Biography 1956-1960, suppl. 6. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1980), 604.
- New York Times, Thursday, August 25, 1960, page 29 (obit.)