James A. Davis (1929–2016) was a distinguished American sociologist who is best known as a pioneer in the application of quantitative statistical methods to social science research and teaching.
In 1972, while Professor Davis was Director of the National Opinion Research Center, he founded the National Data Program for the Social Sciences and developed the General Social Survey (GSS).
The GSS is the biennial national survey that has been tracking social change in America continuously since 1972.
Starting in 1977, he was an instructor in the ECPR Summer School in Social Science Data Analysis and Collection, at the University of Essex.
In 2010, Davis received the Warren J. Mitofsky Award for Excellence in Public Opinion Research from the Board of Directors of the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at Cornell University.