William Stephenson (psychologist)
Encyclopedia
William Stephenson was a psychologist
and physicist
best known for developing Q methodology
.
He was born in England and trained in physics at the University of Oxford
and Durham University
(where he earned a Ph.D. in 1926). His interest in research methods in physics and complementarity
led him to an increased interest in psychology. This resulted in his studying at University College London
under Charles Spearman
, a pioneer of factor analysis
. While there he also worked with Cyril Burt
. Stephenson received his second Ph.D., in psychology, in 1929.
Stephenson is most known for his development of an alternative form of factoral analysis concerned with the operationalizing of subjectivity, Q methodology
.
In 1936 he became the assistant director of Oxford's Institute of Experimental Psychology.
During the Second World War he joined the British military and was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General
, serving in India
.
After the war he briefly returned to Oxford but left in 1948 for the University of Chicago
. It was while he was at Chicago that he published The Study of Behavior: Q-Technique and Its Methodology (1953), the work for which he is best known and the definitive treatise on the research procedure.
In 1955 he left the University of Chicago, and academia, to accept a position as director of advertising research for Nowland and Company. His time in the advertising world, though successful, was short-lived, and he returned to academia in 1958, accepting a position as a distinguished professor in the University of Missouri
School of Journalism. He retired from Missouri in 1974 but accepted a position as a visiting professor at the University of Iowa
where he served until a second retirement in 1977.
After retirement he continued to write on his interest in the subject of the study of subjectivity
until his death in 1989 at the age of 77 (Barchak, 1991).
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...
and physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
best known for developing Q methodology
Q methodology
Q Methodology is a research method used in psychology and other social sciences to study people's "subjectivity" -- that is, their viewpoint. Q was developed by psychologist William Stephenson...
.
He was born in England and trained in physics at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
(where he earned a Ph.D. in 1926). His interest in research methods in physics and complementarity
Complementarity
-Mathematics:*Complementary angles, in geometry* Complementarity theory, a concept related to optimization -Physical sciences:* Complementarity , a property of nucleic acid molecules in molecular biology...
led him to an increased interest in psychology. This resulted in his studying at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
under Charles Spearman
Charles Spearman
Charles Edward Spearman, FRS was an English psychologist known for work in statistics, as a pioneer of factor analysis, and for Spearman's rank correlation coefficient...
, a pioneer of factor analysis
Factor analysis
Factor analysis is a statistical method used to describe variability among observed, correlated variables in terms of a potentially lower number of unobserved, uncorrelated variables called factors. In other words, it is possible, for example, that variations in three or four observed variables...
. While there he also worked with Cyril Burt
Cyril Burt
Sir Cyril Lodowic Burt was an English educational psychologist who made contributions to educational psychology and statistics....
. Stephenson received his second Ph.D., in psychology, in 1929.
Stephenson is most known for his development of an alternative form of factoral analysis concerned with the operationalizing of subjectivity, Q methodology
Q methodology
Q Methodology is a research method used in psychology and other social sciences to study people's "subjectivity" -- that is, their viewpoint. Q was developed by psychologist William Stephenson...
.
In 1936 he became the assistant director of Oxford's Institute of Experimental Psychology.
During the Second World War he joined the British military and was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
, serving in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
After the war he briefly returned to Oxford but left in 1948 for 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...
. It was while he was at Chicago that he published The Study of Behavior: Q-Technique and Its Methodology (1953), the work for which he is best known and the definitive treatise on the research procedure.
In 1955 he left the University of Chicago, and academia, to accept a position as director of advertising research for Nowland and Company. His time in the advertising world, though successful, was short-lived, and he returned to academia in 1958, accepting a position as a distinguished professor in the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
School of Journalism. He retired from Missouri in 1974 but accepted a position as a visiting professor at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
where he served until a second retirement in 1977.
After retirement he continued to write on his interest in the subject of the study of subjectivity
Subjectivity
Subjectivity refers to the subject and his or her perspective, feelings, beliefs, and desires. In philosophy, the term is usually contrasted with objectivity.-Qualia:...
until his death in 1989 at the age of 77 (Barchak, 1991).
Selected publications
- Stephenson, W. (1935). Technique of factor analysis. Nature, 136, 297.
- Stephenson, W. (1935). Correlating persons instead of tests. Character and Personality, 4, 17-24.
- Stephenson, W. (1936). The foundations of psychometry: Four factor systems. Psychometrika, 1, 195-209.
- Stephenson, W. (1953). The study of behavior: Q-technique and its methodology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
- Stephenson, W. (1961). Scientific creed--1961: Abductory principles. Psychological Record, 11, 9-17.
- Stephenson, W. (1967). The play theory of mass communication. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Reprinted: New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books, 1988.)
- Stephenson, W. (1973). APPLICATIONS OF COMMUNICATION THEORY III-INTELLIGENCE AND MULTIVALUED CHOICE. Psychological Record, 23, 17-32.
- Stephenson, W. (1977). Factors as operant subjectivity. Operant Subjectivity, 1, 3-16.
- Stephenson, W. (1978). Concourse theory of communication. Communication, 3, 21-40.
- Stephenson, W. (1980). Factor analysis. Operant Subjectivity, 3,38-57.
- Stephenson, W. (1980). Consciring: A general theory for subjective communicability. In D. Nimmo (Ed.), Communication yearbook 4 (pp.7-36). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books.
- Stephenson, W. (1982). Q-methodology, interbehavioral psychology, and quantum theory. Psychological Record, 32, 235-248.
- Stephenson, W. (1983). Against interpretation. Operant Subjectivity, 6, 73-103, 109-125.
- Stephenson, W. (1986). Protoconcursus: The concourse theory of communication. Operant Subjectivity, 9, 37-58, 73-96.
- Stephenson, W. (1986-1988). William James, Niels Bohr, and complementarity: I-V. Psychological Record, vols 36-38.
- Stephenson, W. (1987). Q-methodology: Interbehavioral and quantum theoretical connections in clinical psychology. In D.H. Ruben & D.J. Delprato (Eds.), New ideas in therapy (pp. 95-106). Westport, CT: Greenwood.
- Stephenson, W. (1988). Quantum theory of subjectivity. Integrative Psychiatry, 6, 180-187.
- Stephenson, W. (1990). My self in 1980: A study of culture. Operant Subjectivity, 14, 1-19.
- Stephenson, W. (1990). Fifty years of exclusionary psychometrics: I-II. Operant Subjectivity, 13, 105-120, 141-162