Colin Fraser obituary

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 teachi