Preface This book has a twofold purpose. On The one hand, its object is to place Before the intelligent reading public a General account of the various directions In which modern psychology has been or May be applied. On the other hand, it is Intended to provided an elementary textbook For students of Applied psychology. It is Hoped that the book will be found from both Points of View.
Introduction The last half century has witnessed a great development in the science we call psychology. This is really a very old science, as far as its origins are concerned, since it originated in man's curiosity regarding his own inner life, and that must have been experienced at a very early stage of human development. But it is a new science if we date its beginnings from the adoption of experimental methods. In the older days psychology was regarded as a branch of philosophy more or less closely allied to metaphysics. The newer psychology, on the other hand, belongs with physiology, zoology, and the other biological sciences. It can excite no surprise that this breakaway from philosophy has been associated with a profound change in the point of view of the science. The essential character of this change can be made clear by comparing the way in which psychology was defined fifty years ago with the way it is defined to-day. According to the old view, which is still largely the view of the man in the street, psychology was defined as the science which studies the mind or mental processes. At the present time it is defined rather as the science which studies behaviour, and seeks to understand behaviour, in terms of the phenomena of the inner life of thought and feeling. This change of from the mind to behaviour is very significant. It means in effect that psychology has descended from the misty heights of philosophy to the world of everyday. life and common things, that the psychologist has deserted his study for the street and the market-place; in fine, that the science is now a science of concrete facts and daily happenings. The behaviour of ourselves and our fellowmen is a field of study at least as important, and affecting the welfare of humanity at large at least as closely, as the field of study of physics or chemistry.
Book's Contents and Sample Pages
