1919 – 1989

Leon Festinger

American psychologist

university teacherpsychologist
Born
1919-05-08, Brooklyn
Died
1989-02-11
Birthplace state
New York

Biography

Leon Festinger was born in Brooklyn in 1919 and died in 1989. He was a social psychologist who formulated the theory of cognitive dissonance and social comparison theory. His work demonstrated limitations in stimulus-response conditioning accounts of human behavior, contributing to a move away from behaviorist approaches in social psychology. Festinger advanced the use of laboratory experimentation in social psychology while also emphasizing the value of studying real-life situations, which he did by infiltrating a doomsday cult. He is credited with work on the proximity effect in social network theory.

Occupation

Leon Festinger is recorded as a university teacher and a psychologist, born in New York (1919–1989).

Connections to New York

Leon Festinger was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1919. Explore other notable figures from New York, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Frequently asked about Leon Festinger

Who was Leon Festinger?
Leon Festinger was American psychologist, born in New York (1919 – 1989).
When and where was Leon Festinger born?
Leon Festinger was born on 1919-05-08 in Brooklyn.
When did Leon Festinger die?
Leon died on 1989-02-11.
What was Leon Festinger known for?
Leon Festinger is recorded as a university teacher and a psychologist.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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