Produced by Don Kostuch
[Transcriber's notes]
This text is derived from an unedited version in the Internet Archive.
Page numbers are indicated by numbers enclosed in curly braces,
e.g. {99}. They have been located where page breaks occurred in the
original book.
Labels and text in a figure that are not mentioned in the figure
description are included as a comma separated list, as in "(Figure
text: cochlea, vestibule, 3 Canals)".
Lengthy footnotes and quotations are indented.
Obvious misspellings and typos are corrected but inconsistent spelling
is not resolved, as in coordinate and coördinate.
Here are the definitions of some unfamiliar words (to me).
amour propre
self-esteem; self-respect.
esprit de corps
camaraderie, bonding, solidarity, fellowship.
motility (motile)
moving or capable of moving spontaneously.
unwonted
unusual.
[End Transcribers's notes]
PSYCHOLOGY
A STUDY OF MENTAL LIFE
BY
ROBERT S. WOODWORTH, Ph. D.
_Professor of Psychology in Columbia University_
NEW YORK
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY
1921
COPYRIGHT, 1921
BY
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY
Printed in the U.S.A.
PREFACE
A few words to the reader are in order. In the first place, something
like an apology is due for the free way in which the author has drawn
upon the original work of many fellow-psychologists, without any
mention of their names. This is practically unavoidable in a book
intended for the beginner, but the reader may well be informed of the
fact, and cautioned not to credit the content of the book to the
writer of it. The author's task has been that of selecting from the
large mass of psychological information now available, much of it new,
whatever seemed most suitable for introducing the subject to the
reader. The book aims to represent the present state of a very active
science.
Should the book appear unduly long in prospect, the longest and most
detailed chapter, that on Sensation, might perfectly well be omitted,
on the first reading, without appreciably disturbing the continuity of
the rest.
On the other hand should any reader desire to make this text the basis
of a more extensive course of reading, the lists of references
appended to the several chapters will prove of service. The books and
articles there cited will be found interesting and not too technical
in style.
Much advantage can be derived from the use of the "Exercises". The
text, at the best, but provides raw material. Each student's finished
product must be of his own making. The exercises afford opportunity
for the student to work over the material and make it his own.
A first or preliminary edition of this book, in mimeographed sheets,
was in use for two years in introductory classes conducted by the
author and his colleagues, and was subjected to exceedingly helpful
criticism from both teachers and students. The revision of that
earlier edition into the present form has been very much of a
coöperative enterprise, and so many have coöperated that room could
scarcely be found for all their names. Professor A. T. Poffenberger,
Dr. Clara F. Chassell, Dr. Georgina I. Gates, Mr. Gardner Murphy, Mr.
Harold E. Jones and Mr. Paul S. Achilles have given me the advantage
of their class-room experience with the mimeographed book. Dr.
Christine Ladd-Franklin has very carefully gone over with me the
passages dealing with color vision and with reasoning. Miss Elizabeth
T. Sullivan, Miss Anna B. Copeland, Miss Helen Harper and Dr. A. H.
Martin have been of great assistance in the final stages of the work.
Important suggestions have come also from several other universities,
where the mimeographed book was inspected.
R. S. W.
Columbia University
August, 1921
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PAGE
WHAT PSYCHOLOGY IS AND DOES 1
Varieties of Psychology 2
Psychology as Related to Other Sciences 5
The Science of Consciousness 7
The Science of Behavior 8
Introspection 10
Objective Observation 11
General Lines of
Psychological Investigation 14
Summary and Attempt at a Definition 17
Exercises 19
References 20