My father, Colin Fraser, who has died aged 88, was an academic in social psychology at Churchill College, Cambridge, for 50 years, during which time he made a significant contribution to the subject and students’ careers, latterly as an emeritus fellow.
As part of an unorthodox, multi-disciplinary group of academics in politics, sociology and social psychology, Colin co-authored and edited several books, including Introducing Social Psychology (2001), with Brendan Burchell; Advances in the Social Psychology of Language (1982), with Klaus R Scherer; and The Social Psychological Study of Widespread Beliefs (1990), with George Gaskell. Colin’s dry Scottish humour and welcoming attitude was his stamp on his lecturing and supervision of PhDs, for which he was highly regarded by students.
Born in Aberdeen, Colin was the son of Ruth (nee Barron), who ran a newsagent, and Tom, a gas worker and trade union official. Colin’s intellectual ability was soon recognised, and he gained a scholarship place at Robert Gordon’s college, Aberdeen. He went on to study English and psychology at Aberdeen University, graduating in 1957.
After a year studying and teaching at MIT, he held research and teaching posts at the universities of Exeter, Birmingham and Bristol. In 1975 he obtained a university lectureship in social psychology at Churchill College, Cambridge. He was director of studies at Churchill from 1976 to 1994, also gaining a fellowship there in 1976. In 1990 he was the undergraduate tutor for the college, then became a senior tutor in 1995 until 2000, when he became emeritus fellow.
Colin had met my mother, Carole (nee Bell), an occupational therapist working at Exeter hospital, in 1964. They married the same year, and Carole later worked at Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge. They would entertain appreciative students at their home, one of whom told me: “Your father was the perfect supervisor for a young woman who was truly terrified. I would go into hiding, no easy thing with my electric blue hair extensions, and he would patiently track me down and build me up. I sailed through my viva, and it was entirely due to his firm and fair support, fantastic editing and dogged determination. He was erudite, patient and really funny.’’
Carole and Colin’s interest in the visual arts was infectious. In the 1980s Colin was appointed as the chair of the hanging committee at Churchill College, and was responsible for acquiring artwork. He oversaw the installation of a Modified Social Bench by Jeppe Hein at the college, and was instrumental in the awarding of a fellowship to the Indian sculptor Dhruva Mistry.
Carole died last year. Colin is survived by three sons, Dougal, Giles and me, and eight grandchildren.
