Professor or Producer: The Two Faces of Academic Man

Abstract

In the present analysis the sociologist is seen as a member of two distinct professional communities within which he plays two separate roles. Utilizing a sample of 262 sociologists receiving the Ph.D. in the period 1945 through 1949, their membership in a community of disciplinary specialists is analysed through publication output, membership in the American Sociological Association and current institutional affiliation. These kinds of data reflect a different orientation to the community of disciplinary specialists as compared to the community of college teaching. High productivity, membership in the Association and affiliation with a major university connote strong situational pressures and personal orientation to the community of disciplinary specialists. Persons who do not publish are less likely to affiliate with the Association and are more likely to be affiliated with four-year colleges and to be primarily committed to the community of college teaching.