Robert Louis Kahn (March 28, 1918 – January 6, 2019) was an American psychologist and social scientist, specializing in organizational theory and survey research, having been considered a "founding father" of the modern approach to these disciplines.[1] He has also been involved in developing studies on aging and his work is critically acclaimed by experts.[2]
Robert Louis Kahn | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 28, 1918 |
| Died | January 6, 2019 (aged 100) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Systems theory, Organizational theory |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Psychology, Sociology |
| Institutions | University of Michigan |
Biography
editKahn was born in Detroit, Michigan on March 28, 1918.[3][4] He earned his PhD at the University of Michigan and was one of the founding members of the Institute for Social Research.[5] He taught at the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1976, and directed the "Survey Research Center".[5]
In 1963 he was elected as a Fellow of the American Statistical Association.[6] He was president of the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues in 1970.[1]
Kahn died in Burlington, Vermont on January 6, 2019.[7]
Thought
editKahn's work on organizational theory, including the book "The Social Psychology of Organizations" (1966) that he co-authored with Daniel Katz, has been described as "a major influence on the field of organizational research, applying a framework of open system theory—the assumption that an organization continuously interacts with its environment—to research on leadership, role behavior, and organizational effectiveness".[2] Kahn has also been appraised as a leading scholar in the study of aging,[2] especially after the publication of "Successful Aging" (1998) that he co-authored with John Wallis Rowe. The book and other pertaining research on the topic by Kahn and collaborators have contributed to the understanding of mechanisms of successful aging.[8]
Publications
edit- 1966. The Social Psychology of Organizations, co-authored with Daniel Katz.
- 1998. Successful Aging, co-authored with John Wallis Rowe.
References
edit
- ^ a b Biographical Note at the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
- ^ a b c University of Michigan Institute for Social Research Profile of Robert Kahn
- ^ Profile of Robert Louis Kahn
- ^ "Michigan Great: Social scientist makes mark in many ways".
- ^ a b University of Michigan Institute for Social Research Timeline
- ^ View/Search Fellows of the ASA, accessed 2016-07-23.
- ^ "U-M Social Psychologist, Research Scientist and ISR Founding Member Bob Kahn dies at 100". University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2019.
- ^ Martha R. Crowther et al., "Rowe and Kahn's Model of Successful Aging Revisited," The Gerontologist (2002) 42 (5): 613-620