Rensis Likert
| Rensis Likert | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 5, 1903 Cheyenne, Wyoming |
| Died | September 3, 1981 (aged 78) Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| Cause of death | bladder cancer |
| Resting place | Forest Hill Cemetery (Ann Arbor, Michigan) (Lot 50, Number 8) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater |
University of Michigan Columbia University |
| Employer |
USDA University of Michigan |
| Known for | Likert Scale, Likert’s Management Systems, Linking pin model |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Gibson Likert |
| Parent(s) | George Herbert Likert, Cora A. |
Rensis Likert (/ˈlɪkərt/ lik-ərt; born August 5, 1903, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.—died September 3, 1981, Ann Arbor, Michigan) was an American social psychologist who is primarily known for developing the 5-point Likert scale, a psychometric scale that allows people to respond to questions of interest, in order to measure people's attitudes (such as personality and attitude tests).
In 1926, Likert received his B.A. in economics and sociology from the University of Michigan, and in 1932 he received a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University. Likert went on to work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture until 1946, when he was influenced by World War II to work for the Office of War Information. With the OWI, he was appointed head of the United States Strategic Bombing Survey Morale Division (USSBS) in 1944.
After retirement at the age of 67, he formed Rensis Likert Associates, an institution that based their ideas on his theories of management in organizational psychology. He wrote numerous books in regards to topics of management, conflict, and applications of behavioral research. A few of his works include New Ways of Managing Conflict (1976) and Human Organization: Its Management and Value (1967). Although he was a psychologist, Likert's contributions in business management helped managers organize their subordinates more effectively. Also, Likert founded the theory of participative management, which was used to engage employees in the workplace and ultimately allow them to enjoy their job more. Likert's contributions in psychometrics, research samples, and more (including open-ended interviewing) have led to the forming and shaping of social and organizational psychology.
Rensis Likert was born in 1903 to George Herbert Likert and Cornelia Adrianna (Cora) Likert in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Influenced by his father, who worked as an engineer with the Union Pacific Railroad, Likert studied civil engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor for three years. He worked as an intern with the Union Pacific Railroad during the watershed 1922 strike, which is where his spark for studying organizations and their behavior originated from. Likert decided to switch from studying civil engineering to economics and sociology at the University of Michigan, because of an influential professor named Robert Angell. He received his B.A in sociology in 1926. After graduation, he studied at the Union Theological Seminary for one year. Likert went on to receive his Ph.D. in psychology at Columbia University in 1932. While studying at Columbia University, he approached the discipline of social psychology, which was a fairly recent field at this time. He would end up co-authoring a book titled Public Opinion and the Individual (1938) with his mentor at Columbia, Gardner Murphy. He married June Gibson while he was studying at Columbia University, who he had met at the University of Michigan. They had two daughters: Elizabeth and Patricia. In 1969, Likert retired as the director of the Institute for Social Research. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii with his wife, where he continued on with his work by forming Rensis Likert Associates. Likert died at the age of 78 on September 3, 1981 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was survived by his wife, Jane Gibson (3 June 1902 – 19 November 1997).
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