Paul F. Lazarsfeld combined his interests in mathematics, psychology, and sociology to become one of the most influential and innovative forces in quantitative social analysis during the twentieth century. He pioneered a broad range of methodological advancements noted for their quantitative and qualitative mixture of data analysis. Applying his research to the areas of mass communication, public opinion, voting behavior, and popular culture, Lazarsfeld combined the study of social units and individuals through the use of survey analysis and panel analysis with the goal of empirically determining the causation of action.

Lazarsfeld was born on February 13, 1901, in Vienna, Austria, to parents Robert and Sofie (Munk) Lazarsfeld. After receiving his doctorate degree in mathematics from the University of Vienna in 1924, he remained to serve as an instructor in mathematics for the next five years. In 1929 he turned his attention to social psychology, accepting a position as an instructor at...