William Thomas's major achievements

He and another sociologist, Znaniecki (Polish-American sociologist), co-authored the book Polish Farmers in Europe and America based on the investigation and research results of Polish immigrants, which is a masterpiece of sociological experience research.

His main works are textbooks such as The Origin of Society, Unsuitable Girls and American Children.

Thomas put forward an important proposition in social psychology-Thomas Theorem;

William I Thomas (1863- 1947), a sociologist of Chicago School in the United States, and Zinanetsky, a Polish, jointly completed a five-volume masterpiece Polish Farmers in Europe and America (19 18-) by studying the correspondence and life history of Polish immigrant families. This book describes the changes of social attitudes and behaviors of Polish farmers, who have experienced such great changes from rural life in Poland to urban life in Chicago, USA. In this book, Thomas put forward his concept of "situation definition". In his own words, "If people define situations as true, then they are true in the result". This hypothesis, called "Thomas Axiom", shows people that although the social definition of situation is subjective, it has its objective results.

American sociologist robert merton put it more concretely. Thomas axiom puts forward the argument of "self-fulfilling prophecy": if people act according to the wrong understanding of the situation, as a result, this wrong understanding may become a reality.

If Mao Zedong's famous words are deconstructed by "Thomas Principle", then modesty will not necessarily make people progress, and pride will often not make people fall behind. Because if everyone around you regards you as a proud person, you have no choice but to live in a proud way.