Muzafer Sherif
Turkish-American social psychologist who studied social norms and conflict.
Muzafer Sherif was a Turkish-American social psychologist who helped develop social judgment theory and realistic conflict theory. He was a founder of modern social psychology, developing techniques for understanding social norms and social conflict, though many of his contributions have been absorbed into the field without recognition.
- died
- October 16, 1988
- field
- Social psychology
- nationality
- Turkish-American
- known_for
- Social judgment theory, realistic conflict theory, autokinetic effect experiments, Robbers Cave experiment
Lore & Background
Muzafer Sherif was born Muzaffer Şerif Başoğlu in a wealthy family of five children.
Reader's Guide
Sherif's significance lies in his foundational contributions to social psychology, particularly through the autokinetic effect experiments and realistic conflict theory. The autokinetic effect experiments demonstrated how social norms are created and internalized, showing that group influence can shape individual perception even in ambiguous situations. Realistic conflict theory, developed with Carolyn Wood Sherif and based on the Robbers Cave experiment, accounted for intergroup conflict and prejudice as resulting from competition for resources. These works provided powerful techniques for understanding social processes, though many of his ideas have been later re-presented as new. His legacy includes over 60 articles and 24 books, and he was the first recipient of the Cooley-Mead Award for Contributions to Social Psychology from the American Sociological Association.
Did You Know?
- Sherif was the first to obtain the Cooley-Mead Award for Contributions to Social Psychology from the American Sociological Association.
- He was listed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Communist sympathizer list and was interrogated by the FBI.
- His marriage to his American wife, Carolyn Wood, led to his dismissal from Ankara University because it violated policies banning marriage of Turks to foreigners.
- Sherif's autokinetic effect experiments showed that groups converged on a shared estimate of light movement, which participants later replicated individually.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Muzafer Sherif's major theories?
He is best known for realistic conflict theory, which argues that competition over limited resources is the primary engine of intergroup hostility, and for social judgment theory, which describes how people sort others' opinions into acceptance, rejection, and boycott zones.
What is the autokinetic effect experiment?
Sherif showed a stationary point of light in a darkened room and asked participants to estimate how far it appeared to move. Because no objective reference existed, individuals' estimates gradually converged when they were in a group, making it a classic demonstration of how social norms emerge through interpersonal influence.
Why is Muzafer Sherif important to social psychology?
His experimental techniques and theoretical frameworks became so thoroughly woven into the discipline that many of his contributions are now treated as standard background knowledge rather than attributed to him by name. His work on norm formation, group conflict, and intergroup relations remains a cornerstone of the field.
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