Psychology To-day

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 47, 3 June 1932, Page 13

Psychology To-day

. (A series of 4 by Mr. H. C. Beecroft, M.A., on Thursday, June 9, 16, 28, 30.) (1) What is this Psychology? (2) The Great Mystery. (3) The Unconscious, (4) The Individual and the Community. No. (1)-What is this Psychology? (a) Psychology to-day is a term with which to conjure, As used in popular literature, the term is both ambiguous and misleading. Definition, however, is difficult at the beginning of all studies, and psychology is no exception. As Aristotle pointed out centuries ago, exact definitions come last, not first. At the beginning a preliminary description alone is possible. In this sense, psychology may be described as the systematic study of mental behaviour. Some reasons why people begin to study psychology. (b) Psychology as a science. Our debt to the philosophers of ancient Greece. Necessity for a critical attitude and systematic study. The great difficulty of obtaining unbiased observations. (ec) The subject matter of psychology. A critical analysis of some popular views. What psychology is not. Pseudo-science and science. A word or two about phrenology «and kindred studies. The situation to-day. Branches of the science. Necessity for a comprehenive view of the whole field. (d) Applied psychology. Spheres of application. Education, medicine and industry. Some problems in this cennection.