ABSTRACT
Few social psychologists consistently address the complexity of social behavior with the comprehensive eloquence exhibited by Muzafer Sherif. This chapter highlights the expectations Sherif held for social psychology and its practitioners. It begins by explaining his critiques of his contemporaries, how he distinguished social psychology from other fields, and his support of interdisciplinary sharing across the social sciences. The chapter presents Sherif's view on the duty of social psychologists to conduct research which is both applicable and rigorous enough to eventually find universal psychological principles. As Sherif laid out his own vision of how social psychology should be conducted, he was concerned that many other psychologists in his time, even those who identified as social psychologists, did not take group and social influences into account. The chapter concludes with an outline of how Sherif conducted his research to maintain validity and reliability, while taking into account numerous reciprocal influences on individuals and groups.
