Gordon W. Allport

Gordon W. Allport was born in Montezuma, Indiana on November 11, 1897. Son of a Scottish American doctor, he was the youngest of four brothers.

His Early Life

Shy and studious when a small boy, his early life was fairly pleasant and uneventful. Though he was born in Indiana, he grew up in Cleveland, where he received his early education. Floyd Allport, his elder brother advised him to leave his Cleveland home to do something worthwhile. Gordon arrived in Cambridge a few weeks before the school opened. He appeared for entrance examination and cleared it.

His Life at Harvard

Back in 1915, Harvard's procedures for undergraduate admissions were far simpler than those of today. His elder brother Floyd encouraged him for advance study. Allport completed his undergraduate study at Harvard University. His brother Floyd was a graduate student in psychology at the same University. Gordon received the B.A. degree from Harvard in 1919, with a major in economics and and seized the opportunity to be an early version of a Peace Corps volunteer.

Doctorate in Psychology

Allport spent a year at Robert College in Istanbul, teaching sociology and English. Then he returned to Harvard in 1920, and completed his Ph.D. in psychology within two years. He wrote his doctoral dissertation on An experimental Study of the Traits of personality : with Special Reference to the problem of Social Diagnosis. This dissertation, was the reflection of his dual commitment to science and social concerns. Allport's work on trait theory of personality fructified into his book entitled, Personality : A Psychological Interpretation, which was published in 1937 and this book was revised as Patterns and Growth in Personality in 1961.

Award of Traveling Fellowship

Allport spent two years in Europe for his fellowship. This fellowship was awarded from Harvard. He studied in Berlin, Hamburg and Cambridge, England. This extensive experience in foreign academic settings must have played the role in developing a strong interest in study of international affairs.

After returning from Europe he accepted the appointment as instructor in social ethics under Richard Clarke Cobot at Harvard University. Two years later he temporarily severed his connection with Harvard to accept position of assistant professor of psychology at Dartmouth College. Yet, even during his brief four years at Hanover, he turned repeatedly to Harvard to teach at summer school. Then he was invited to return to Harvard in 1930, where he remained until his death on October 9, 1967.

Gordon W. Allport was born in Montezuma, Indiana on November 11, 1897. Son of a Scottish American doctor, he was the youngest of four brothers.

In 1924, Allport taught what was probably the first course in personality taught in a North American College. In 1931, he was faculty member of Harvard's Sociology department. In the late 1940s, he fashioned an introductory course for the new social relations.

As an Editor

When he was professor at Harvard University, he edited the journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology from 1937 to 1949.

Hoernle Lecture in South Africa

In 1956, Gordon Allport was invited to the Hoernle lecture at South Africa's leading Africaner University in Stellenbosch. For his lecture in Africa, Allport studied African with a tutor for six months. He had talent for languages. He was fluent in German. Allport gave the introduction to his lecture in near perfect Africans, skillfully and gracefully.

Allport - "The Blueberry King"

Gordon Allport by nature was as good as a king. He preferred an unpretentious lifestyle and paid scant attention to money matters.

Mr. Eleanor Sprague was his loyal and efficient secretary for many years. He was also doing the work for Gordon to complete the Income tax annual return.

Gordon had Scottish socialization and by nature was thrifty and regarded waste as evil. Gordon thought that each year most of a large blueberry crop at his summer college near Lincoln Ville, Maine, went unharvested. Gordon contracted with a local farmer for one year to harvest and sell the crop for him. Much to his chagrin, the farmer's expenditure bill totaled more then $ 500, while the crop fetched less then $ 300. Sam Stouffer, the beloved sociologist and wit of the old social relations department, never let Gordon forget this episode. To Gordon's amusement, Sam routinely called him "the blueberry king"!