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Merrill Carlsmith

1936 – 1984

American psychologist

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About Merrill Carlsmith

Lived 1936 – 1984 (aged 48). Merrill Carlsmith was an American psychologist, sociologist, university teacher and social scientist.

James Merrill Carlsmith (April 12, 1936 – April 19, 1984) was an American social psychologist perhaps best known for his collaboration with Leon Festinger and Elliot Aronson in the creation and development of cognitive dissonance theory. He also worked extensively with Mark Lepper on the subject of attribution theory. With Jonathan L. Freedman and David O. Sears (his cousin) he wrote the textbook, Social Psychology (1970; subsequent editions published 1974, 1978, and 1981).

Carlsmith was married to social psychologist Lyn Carlsmith (born Karolyn Gai Kuckenberg, October 7, 1932 – September 1, 2011) from 1963 until his death, and had three children: Christopher, Kimberly, and Kevin (October 17, 1967 – November 19, 2011). He graduated from Stanford University and Harvard University.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Harvard University, Stanford University
Also known as
James Merrill Carlsmith

People in Merrill Carlsmith's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Merrill Carlsmith's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Merrill Carlsmith?

American psychologist (1936-1984)

When was Merrill Carlsmith born?

Merrill Carlsmith was born on 12 April 1936.

When did Merrill Carlsmith die?

Merrill Carlsmith died on 19 April 1984.

What was Merrill Carlsmith's occupation?

Merrill Carlsmith was a psychologist, sociologist, university teacher and social scientist.

What nationality was Merrill Carlsmith?

Merrill Carlsmith was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Merrill Carlsmith

· Wikidata: Q6820170

· DBpedia: Merrill Carlsmith

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Merrill Carlsmith. https://biography.guide/merrill-carlsmith/

MLA: "Merrill Carlsmith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/merrill-carlsmith/.

Chicago: "Merrill Carlsmith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/merrill-carlsmith/.

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