Kansas City journal., 1898-02-20
QUALITATIVE VS.. QUANfITATIvE
PSYCHOLOGY.

PSfCHOLOGf.
The Atlantic Monthly for February con-
tains a very honest and seasonable article
concerning 1.-THE Danger From Expert
mental Psychology" from the pen OF Pro-
fessor Hugo Munsterberg. director Of the
Harvard psychological laboratory. The ar
rective power of science, when the scientist
is possessed of broad intelligence and self
controlled enthusiasm. and is in marked
contrast with some OF the arrogant pre-
tensions of amateur experts and higher
critics Of late years.
The article Is a criticism of Professor
Ladd's late work, THE New Psychology"
adverse criticisms which. by clear cool.
logical analysis. discloses and crushes er-
ror in such a perfectly passionless but hon.
est way that it just simply stays dead frem
sheer inability to find an excuse for seek
ing a second probation here or hereafter.
Professor Ladd seems to be controlled by
an ambition to provide a new work
psychology for each returning school year.
This necessitates undue haste In treating
such profound subjects. and this time he
seems to have added carelessness. which
has left both head and heel vulnerable.
1t is too severe, however, for Professor
Munsterberg to say Of the work itself in
his opening sentences: II have always be-
lived that, after the very best books. the
most useful. They show the logical mis-
takes in a form so exaggerated and I'M
masked that nobody can help profiting from
such a climax of blunders.'' Then, by clear
ly pointing out climax of blunders, he
puts this book In the second list of "best
books" But If the teachers and students,
who have been started in wrong directions
and encouraged by false and delusive hopes
of righting all wrongs by the aid Of ex-
perimental psychology, will only take the
warning he gives and drop their nonsense
before it becomes criminal, this worst
of books will have done the best of works
by affording an opportunity to one who has
had the courage to point out the present
| condition and future prospects of this new
child of metaphysics now being nurtured
in the incubator Professor Ladd assumes
as result what is yet theory in an I'M
developed state of experimental investiga-
| tion. and which, Professor Munsterberg,
| with equal authority, has the honesty to
| tell US. does not indicate by any hopeful
sign that it will ever be able to reach.
This is neither science nor philosophy.
Professor Munsterberg. after reviewing
| the pretension of the new philosophy to
| measure and weigh psychical facts. to re-
duce mental phenomena to material forms
and qualities, says: 'I must say that I
| have never measured psychical fact. I
have never heard that anybody has meas
ured psychical fact. do not believe that
in centuries to come a psychical fact will
ever be measured" He points out how the
| author of the New Psychology either de-
| ludes himself, or strives to delude his read
ers. by juggling with words. I'VE are
promised the space of thought and we get
| the thought of space" and SO on through
out the whole system this perversion, this
delusion. or this blunder. is carried out.
But 1t has flung out such high hopes that
experimental psychology, and its immedi-
ate application to Child study" has be-
now grown positively and rankly danger
Gus. and the warning from such high au-
| thority has not come a moment too soon
nor can it be needed moment too quickly
by parents and teachers.
The old psychology was qualitative. II
attracted the child mind by presenting it.
self In the parent and teacher in love, In
sympathy, In likes and tastes, and had the
drawing out and building up potency which
attains such blessed ends in life. But the
new psychology is quantitative. 1t make:
the child an object of curiosity, a flower te
be analyzed, specimen to be treated, al
object to be pitied, and will crush 1t in colt
blood or freeze every budding emotion be
fore the fruit of life sets. Let every homes
teacher heed the closing words Of Professor
Munsterberg. They will do the soul good
they will save him failure and remorse fl
the years to come, as well as save his cred
1t when the fooIishness of pretension is ex
posed by such authorities as this honestl.
great student: Il do hope for a high ant
great and brilliant progress of experimental
psychology, and do hope still more for
wonderful growth Of the educational sys
TENS in this country: but 1 feel sure tina
the development of both will be the strong
er and sounder and greater. the longer botl
education and experimental psychology g
sharply separated ways. with sympathy
but without blind alteration for eac
other"