Robert K. Merton

American sociologist (1910–2003)

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Source-basedRising

Lived 1910–2003, aged 93United States

United States AcademicsAcademic

Wikipedia
48 languages
Cross-language footprint
Era
1910–2003
Aged 93
Awards
9
recognised works

Summary

Updated 2026-06-08

He gave us "self-fulfilling prophecy" and "role model" — phrases so embedded in how we think that most people have no idea they came from a single sociologist. Merton built the vocabulary for understanding how expectations shape reality and how we measure ourselves against others.

Biography

About

Born Meyer Robert Schkolnick on July 4, 1910, he became Robert K. Merton and spent most of his career at Columbia University, rising to University Professor. He served as the 47th president of the American Sociological Association and in 1994 received the National Medal of Science for founding the sociology of science. His work spanned three domains: the sociology of science, crime and deviance, and sociological theory itself. He introduced "unintended consequences," "reference group," and "role strain" into the field's lexicon, but two concepts broke containment: "role model," which emerged f…

Voice

In their own words

Sourced, dated quotes from Robert K. Merton

Robert K. Merton

said1973

Scientific research is not conducted in a social vacuum.

— p. 263 (1973 Edition)

Robert K. Merton

said5 Jan 1968

The role of outstanding scientists in influencing younger associates is repeatedly emphasized in the interviews with laureates.

— Merton (1968) "The Matthew Effect In Science", In: Science Vol. 159, no. 3810 (5 January 1968), p. 56-63: On scientists, the Nobel Prizes,

Robert K. Merton

said1968

The self-fulfilling prophecy is, in the beginning, a false definition of the situation evoking a new behaviour which makes the original false conception come "true".

— p. 477 (1968 Enlarged edition)

Robert K. Merton

said1957