The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1917-12-06
AID TO BUSINESS
Psychology Has important PIaes.
!. m~ScommerolaI Affairs. 4
Gxsressss ~ lnfIusnes n ;sals %
cletssa Automobiles and Other
Articles Of Trade.

Ing manufaetWsfSa and retail dealers
IN New@Hork the other day. Il uis1
10 DO that psychology was regarded d
. dry, abstract study. . necessary evil
because ltrx1s Included In the collegs.
course and Had 70 be given some atten-
tdon b.. the class, bnt not - . subject
having any practical uses whatever.
But what could b motOfTlpfacucal than
. gathering 81 clothing makerst
No foolish sentiment was mixed up
IN their discussions; they were there
to talk business. And the Harvard pro
lessor told them that the well-dressed
man was 10 per cent more efficient
than the poorly dressed one; that III
4tdng clothes we're detriment to the
Wearer; that trim, suitable attire
spelled success and inspired conf
dence, an air Of prosperity being con
tagious. Well-ntting clothes, he said,
added to ones ~self-respect, inculcated
personal cleanliness and aided the man
In business.
The assemblage Of business men
listened to these words with great sat
isfaction and felt that they heard the
voice Of wisdom. For the first time,
no doubt, some Of them who had been
to college saw the connection between
the old, dull science Of psychology and
their own commercial affairs. It is
true that there was nothing new In the
professors talk, says the indianapolis
Star. Polonius antedated him when
he laid this injunction upon Laertes:
"Costly thy habit as thy purse can
buy-for the apparel oft proclaims the
man." And 1t was a wise woman who,
while the Harvard man was yet in pet
t%icoats, enunciated this great psyche
logical truth: 1.-THE consciousness Of
being: well dressed gives a peace Of
mind that religion seldom offers"
But psychology in business is not
confined to clothes According to an
automobile advertisement q . should
suit the buyers personality. There
should be a rhythmic harmony" be-
tween them, whatever that means.
Naturally this makes the purchase Of
q car safsubtle proceeding. First class.
ify' your psychological requirements
and then choose a car in keeping. OF
course rhythmic harmony may call for
q limousine and you may not have the
price, but this need not affect the psy-
Geological principle that you cannot be
truly happy without that particular
form Of car. The Harvard professor
might point out that though you are
obliged to content yourself with the
small car which friends may nickname
flivver or ''tin lixzie,'' yon win con.
tinue to. aspire to the Limousine and
perhaps eventually achieve 1t II you
have to mortgage the farm. The law
ct harmony will impel you.
These psychological Illustrations
might be multiplied, but these are
enough to show that business is no
longer the simple matter it was once
considered. It has complications, sub
tleties, mysteries. Mentalities must be
studied as well as the state Of the
market; mind and its vagaries, that is
to say, psychology must precede the
matter of bargain and sale. # rhyth-
mic harmony figures In automobile
traffic, why not in the ordering Of the
daily food supply? If you were to ask
Mr.. Hoover, he would say that the
most important psychological element
of all is there involved, for patriotism
should be the leading motive in max
ing those orders-patriotism that
spells food conservation. Oh, the
psychology of our acts must be consid-
cred. There is nc getting away from
It.