Finding aid for the Asch Center collection of Solomon Asch materials


Title:
Asch Center collection of Solomon Asch materials
Repository:
Drs. Nicholas and Dorothy Cummings Center for the History of Psychology
Phone: 330-972-7285
http://www.uakron.edu/chp
Creator:
Asch, Solomon E. (Solomon Elliott), 1907-
Dates:
1955-1992
Quantity:
1.33 linear feet
Abstract:
Solomon Asch was a pioneer in social psychology, well-known for his research on conformity. This small collection of various materials from the Solomon Asch Center for Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict includes awards Asch received for his work in the field of social psychology as well as personal and professional photographs; some of Wolfgang Kohler. Asch's Emeritus Professor of Psychology degree from the University of Pennsylvania is also part of this collection. The Archives of the History of American Psychology also holds the
Solomon Asch papers.
Identification:
p15960coll10/id/591
Location:
Box M841; M2263
Language:
The records are in English

Biography of Solomon Asch

Solomon Asch was a world-renowned Gestalt psychologist and pioneer in social psychology. He was born in Warsaw, Poland and emigrated to the United States in 1920. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the College of the City of New York in 1928. Asch received both his M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1930 and 1932, respectively. He had been a professor of psychology at Swarthmore College for 19 years, working with psychologists including Wolfgang Kohler. Asch also taught at Brooklyn College, the New School for Social Research, and held visiting posts at Harvard and MIT. He was a Distinguished Professor of Psychology and director of the Institute for Cognitive Studies at Rutgers University from 1966-1972, when he joined the University of Pennsylvania. Asch received many awards and distinctions during his career, as well as serving in varied capacities for professional organizations. Asch served as associate editor for the journal Psychological Review from the years 1957 to 1962. Asch became famous in the 1950s for his experiments which demonstrated the power of conformity in groups. Asch's most famous experiments set a contest between actual physical reality and perceived social reality.

Asch died on February 20, 1996 at the age of 89.

In 1998 the Solomon Asch Center for Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict was created to advance research, education and practice, and policy-relevant study in ethnic group conflict and political violence. The Center originated at the University of Pennsylvania, but now resides at Bryn-Mawr College.

Scope and Content

This small collection of various materials from the Solomon Asch Center for Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict includes awards Asch received for his work in the field of social psychology as well as some limited correspondence; personal and professional photographs, including some of psychologist Wolfgang Kohler; and 1992 and 1993 recipients of the Solomon Asch Award. A poster advertising a talk featuring Asch, Allen Ginsberg and others is also present.

Statement of Arrangement

The Asch Center collection of Solomon Asch materials is arranged at the folder level. In some cases there is only one item per folder. Since it is a small collection, there are no series or subseries.

Restrictions on Use

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.

Related Material: Related Material

The Archives of the History of American Psychology holds the personal and professional manuscript papers of Solomon Asch.


Separated Material: Separated Material

Photographs have been transferred to the Still Images Collection in box V60. Asch awards and "Future of Freedom" lecture event poster, are located in box M2263 in the oversized stacks.


Subject Headings

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Associations, institutions, etc.
Conformity
Psychologists
Psychology
Social psychology
Solomon Asch Award

Persons:

Asch, Solomon E. (Solomon Elliott), 1907-
Kohler, Wolfgang, 1887-1967

Organizations/Corporations:

Solomon Asch Center for Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict

Material Types:

Manuscripts

Preferred Citation

Cite as: [identification of item], [folder number, box number], Archives of the History of American Psychology, The Drs. Nicholas and Dorothy Cummings Center for the History of Psychology - The University of Akron

Acquisition Information

This collection was acquired on November 5, 2009 from the Solomon Asch Center for Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict through Dr. James O'Brien of Tidewater Community College.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Rhonda Rinehart in November 2009. Updated by Samantha Hurst, October 2021.


Other Finding Aid

A paper index to the materials in this collection was created by James O'Brien on September 15, 2009 and is located in box M841.

See the
Solomon E. Asch papers located at the Archives of the History of American Psychology.


Detailed Description of The Collection


Box M841 / Folder 1
Society of Experimental Psychology award for Distinguished Senior Psychologist, 1976


Scope and Content: Presented to Solomon Asch


Box M841 / Folder 2
American Psychological Association letter to Solomon Asch, 1992 July 30


Scope and Content: This letter accompanied a medal presented to Solomon Asch for his contributions to the field of psychology.


Box M841 / Folder 3
Letter from PHP Institute, 1974 April 26


Scope and Content: Letter to Solomon Asch asking for him to contribute an article.


Box M841 / Folder 4
Various correspondence and articles, 1983-1990


Scope and Content: This folder contains the following materials:"Plan of Work" proposal by Asch for preparing a book on the formation and change of opinions and attitudes based upon Asch's experimental investigations.Photocopy of article by Harris (1985) with marginalia apparently by Asch.Letter from Ekkehart Schlict dated 1990 February 7.Letter from Melvin Manis regarding article with Henri Zukier and final suggestions for revisions, 1983 November 17.Hand-written note, possibly written by someone named Florence, recounting Asch's conformity study.Photocopies (3 total) of item 9 above.Photocopy of hand-written draft of letter from Asch to Schlict, undated.Handwritten note to "Schlaym" from unknown author acknowledging Asch's influence on writer's intellectual life, 1986 March 13.Photocopy of letter of reference for Henri Zukier, undated.Segment of Zukier's vita with Asch's marginal notes.Various documents regarding APA's honoring of Asch, 1992.Photocopy of letter from Asch to Ekkehart, 1989 September 14.


Box M841 / Folder 5
Emeritus Professor Psychology documentation to Asch from the University of Pennsylvania., 1979 June 30




Box M841 / Folder 6
Emeritus Professor Psychology documentation to Asch from the University of Pennsylvania., 1979 June 30

Language: The records are in Latin



Box M841 / Folder 7
Personality Development of Hopi Children by Asch, undated

Genre/Format: unpublished typescript in sleeved binder



Box M3609 / Folder 1
General Correspondence, 1941-1996




Box M3609 / Folder 2
Frank Irwin letters, 1977-1984




Box M3609 / Folder 3
Articles and Reprints, 1948-1987




Box M2263
Asch Center collection of Solomon Asch materials, oversized (awards and "Future of Freedom" lecture event poster, 1967-1992, undated

Location: oversized stacks

Scope and Content: This box contains the following items:Poster entitled "The Future of Freedom" advertising a talk sponsored by the Unitarian Universality Layman's League with Solomon Asch and Allen Ginsberg, among others, as speakers.The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) tribute plaque presented to Asch, November 1992.American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award presented to Asch, 1967 September 4.


Box V60 / Folder 4
Photographs from Asch Center collection of Solomon Asch materials., 1992, 1993, undated


Scope and Content: Photographs in Folder 4 include the Solomon Asch Award ceremony, various photographs of Asch with family and friends, various photographs and signed portraits of Wolfgang Kohler.