Harold Kelley, one of the most influential scholars in the field
of social psychology and a UCLA professor emeritus, died of cancer
Jan. 29 in his home. He was 82 years old.
Recognized internationally for his work in the field of social
psychology, Kelley came to UCLA in 1961.
He made important contributions to the field with studies that
concentrated on understanding patterns of interaction between
people in relationships.
Kelley was instrumental in the evolution of attribution theory,
a social psychological analysis that looks at how people attribute
causes for behavior, said Bertram Raven, a fellow professor
emeritus in social psychology.
Born in Boise, Idaho, Kelley moved to Delano, Calif. at the age
of 10. He studied at UC Berkeley, earning his M.A. in psychology in
1943.
Kelley worked in the Aviation Psychology Program of the U.S.
Army Air Force, and received a Ph.D. from the Group Psychology
Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1948.
He taught at Yale and the University of Minnesota for a decade
beginning in 1950, then moved to UCLA, where he stayed for the
remainder of his career.
Colleagues described Kelley, who was honored as a member of both
the American Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of
Sciences, as both a compassionate man and a pioneer in social
psychological theory.
“He had a sort of caliber of mind that was truly unique, a
brilliant theorist,” said Letitia Peplau, a colleague in
UCLA’s social psychology department.
A study published in the General Review of Psychology named
Kelley as one of the top 100 most eminent psychologists of the 20th
century.
Raven said Kelley was highly respected on a national and
international level for his work as well as for the way in which he
dealt with people throughout his life.
“He was a wonderful person,” Raven said. “He
was brilliant and innovative in his professional scientific work
… and very caring and ready to assist other people.”
Kelley loved all kinds of music, notably classical music, Raven
said.
He also liked to travel, and when attending international
conferences, Kelley enjoyed being in the middle of different
cultures in foreign countries.
While living in Delano, Kelley met his high school sweetheart,
Dorothy.
The two were married in 1942, Dorothy said, and enjoyed 61 years
together.
“He was my husband, so I think he’s
wonderful,” Dorothy said.
Kelley is survived by three children ““ Stan, Ann and Megan
““ and five grandchildren.