Problems of Personality
- Type:
Book Reviews *82 Abstracts.
- Author:
Dr Morton Prince
: Studies presented to Dr Morton Prince, pioneer in American psychopathology. (I he International Library of Psychology, Philosophy, and Scientific Method). Pp. 4:34. Kegan paul, Ltd., 1925. 18s.
The variety of thought displayed in this col- lection of twenty-four essays is certainly in keeping with the varied interests of the notable Physsician and thinker it is written to honour. ,le bibliography given of Dr Prince’s wri- ngs shows he has written just over one hun- ted papers apart from five books. The con- *nbutions include those on general medicine, neurology) psychology, psychiatry and philosphy.
T? touch adequately upon the variety of Authoritative opinion contained in this book ^?uld require a small volume, and it is only Possible to give a bare indication of some eatures of its contents.
^e book is classified into five parts (1) general Essays, (2) Studies in Psychology, Studies in Abnormal Psychology and sychopathology, (i) Psychoanalysis (pro and f?n)> (5) Miscellaneous, this includes Neuro- ??y? Social Psychology, &c.
T As pointed out in the introduction by Dr. ?back, the contributors include many schools ?f thought, and their views do not necessarily pC<rord with each other or with those of Dr. lncp. All, however, tend to bear upon per- s?nality, to the study of which Dr Prince rna<^e such notable contributions.
. It is invidious to select names, but as an 1 ,lcation of the type and diversity of the inters, one may mention Jung, Janet, McDou- Sah> Myers, Elliot-Smith, White, Jelliffe, Dana and Ernest Jones.
he last named puts forward a plea for the greater utilisation of abnormal or clinical vlehology in studyin8” social psychol?gy- . atever their views, few of those whose work rings them in contact with abnormal cases ^ 1 deny the profound influence such work has jP?n their views on psychology in general. v5v Profess?r Elliot-Smith and Dr Wm. “lte, from different standpoints, attack Catchwords and “bad thinking “?a warning a^east as much needed in psychology as in 0 her spheres of thought.
Macfie Campbell traces the tendencies of recent thought in psychiatry, particularly to- wards studying from a biological point of view the different types of personality with their differing ways of reacting towards their en- vironment. He reviews the work of Kahn, Bleuler, Kretschmer and others. The cycloid an’d schizoid types of the latter are not dis- similar to the extroverted and introverted types of Jung who contributes an article on ” Psycho- logical Types.” Apart from discussing these two main forms of reaction, Jung subdivides each class according to their tendency to react principally to sensation, intellectual thinking processes, feeling and intuition, making eight clearly distinguishable types.
A fine article by Dr A. Roback contains in its title?” Character and Inhibition “?the author’s conclusions. He defines character as ” an enduring psycho-physical disposition to inhibit impulses in accordance with a regula- tive principle,” an idea which he admits is not far from the conception of McDougall. He discusses at length the various schools of thought and the efforts made to classify types of character.
Janet gives a short article on ” Memories which are too real,” quoting an individual who developed this condition from inability to recon- cile himself to sudden removal from pleasing circumstances. He gives a table of the differ- ent relative values of reality which our past, present and future activities and our other thought processes should occupy.
Dana discusses handwriting in disease, and suggests that Wm. Shakespeare, as deduced from his signatures, may have suffered from a cerebral vascular lesion.
Putnam gives a good account of the hysteri- cal manifestations and their consequences as exhibited in the witchcraft persecution of the seventeenth century.
Professor McDougall contributes a paper on ” Prof. Freud’s Group Psychology and his Theory of Suggestion.” This is a criticism of Freud’s ” Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego,” and a defence of his own attitude as described in ” Group Mind ” and elsewhere.
He carefully differentiates his own theory of emotional contagion from suggestion which he feels has been overlooked by Freud, and he also discusses various other divergencies in opinion. He sums up Freud’s position as hav- ing as its fundamental basis suggestion. This latter resembles hypnosis which in turn re- sembles the primitive attitude towards the horde leader. The last is represented as a sexually jealous brute, the repressed libido of whose followers becomes fixated on himself. McDougall’s verdict after various criticisms is ” not proven and wildly improbable.”
Apart from those noticed, there are other excellent articles, and the book generally will appeal to many varied tastes. Those with fixed views may find opinions that irritate, which is in itself a stimulating process.
A. A. W. P. The Young Delinquent. By Cyril Burt, M.A., D.Sc. Pp. vii?637. University of London Press. 1925. 7s. 6d. The book is written in simple and non- technical language, and is marked by “a common sense ” which should commend it not only to magistrates, probation officers and social workers interested in juvenile delin- quency, but to all who are interested in the education of the young.
It is based on a careful examination of a large number of cases over a long period and clearly shows how varied the causes of mis- conduct are and how deep and thorough an investigation must be before attributing mis- conduct to any particular cause. It also shows how juvenile delinquency can be largely eradi- cated by the intensive study of the individual offender, and that the application of any forms of treatment without previous investigation into the causes is like working in the dark.
Dr Burt’s plan of investigation is practical and his discussion of the relative importance of the different causes of misconduct is very instructive. He lays stress on the importance of defective family relationships and defective discipline in the home?” of environmental con- ditions those obtaining outside the home are far less important than those obtaining wit’hin it.” It is to be hoped that as the result of his clear conclusions, in future, before putting a child on probation, careful enquiries will be made into his home conditions, as some parents are unwilling and others incapable of making probation a success.
There are many experts who will not be as convinced of the necessity and practicability of psycho-analysis as Dr Burt would appear to be. A psychological examination, an examine tion by a medical man possessing a soun knowledge of psychology, has proved to be sufficient in nearly all cases. Many prefer ob- servational methods and the reports of reliable social workers to the so-called ” moral tests. A revision of the Mental Deficiency Act with a view to rendering it more applicable to de- linquent defectives is suggested. Already there is a tendency to a wider interpretation of the definitions in the Act; more attention is paid to conduct defects and less to the actual mental age as tested by intelligence tests. The author has rendered a service in pointing out how un- fortunate is the term ” moral imbecile ” in the Mental Deficiency Act. It is doubtful whether it is wise to pay so much attention, as the author appears to do, to hidden complexes as causes of misconduct. True, they may be pre- sent in many cases, but their association with misconduct is not always clear.
In Appendix 2 a field of possibilities *s opened by the suggestion of the establishment of psychological clinics, the necessity and use- fulness of which, in the treatment and preven- tion of juvenile delinquency, will be agreed upon by all workers.
This book should go far to counteract the harm done by the extreme claims put forward by some psychologists, as it is practical and concerned mainly with methods of enquiry and treatment. It is certainly the best book yet written on the psychology of the young English delinquent, and I strongly recommend this interesting and instructing book to all teachers and social workers.
J. J- L. The Sensory Basis and Structure of Know- ledge. By Henry J. Watt, D.Phil. Pp.X, 243. Methuen & Co., 1925. 8s. 6d. This is without doubt a notable contribution to psychological literature, and, like Professor Spearman’s book on The Nature of IntelH* gence, marks a definite stage in the develop- ment of the psychology of cognition. It is written in a language and a manner that will not shut out the layman from its enjoyment) but it is nevertheless of primary interest and importance for the professional student. As Dr Watt says, it is ” rather a thesis than a text-book,” a thesis which sets out fully and systematically the view which the author has een developing’ and testing throughout a series ?f papers and books on specific problems of sensory integration during the last 15 years.
promulgates a comparative method of analysis of sensory experience and a scheme ?f its progressive complication from the ele- ments of sensation up to the primitive form of ^e concept,” a method which (it is held) has already shown its power to co-ordinate the many and otherwise confused facts of ^sensory experience, and which has been further justified by recent detailed studies of sensation. The Method is here shown at work in the detailed statement of the elements of sensation and the various types of integration, systemic_ and temporal (proportion, time, stereoscopic vision, Perception, and so on). In this volume we are n?t carried beyond the primitive concept, but as Dr Watt remarks, ” sense must run smoothly and continuously into intellect. And here must be a regular process of integration eading from the elements and details of sensa- ^0n ? ? . to the processes of thought.” Only by starting in the right direction and with the ri?ht method, however, shall we be able to make the whole journey of a systematic psy- chology.
S. I. Instinct, Intelligence, and Character : An Educational Psychology. By Godfrey H. Thomson, Ph.D. Pp. 277. Allen & Unwin, Ltd. 10s. 6d.
In this book Prof. Thomson has published a course of lectures delivered by him to students ^t Teachers’ College, Columbia University, in the session 1923-4. As the sub-title suggests, t e course was designed for teachers; through- put the book psychological theory is brought into relation with educational problems. This . ?es not prevent the book from being interest- lng to the general reader, for none of the edu- cational problems is confined to the class-room, the whole book is alive with illustrations at bring home to the reader the fact that P yschology deals with the very warp and woof his own web of experience.
Professor Thomson writes from the bio- logical standpoint. In his last chapter he says, The general idea which I have taken as my beacon in writing- the previous chapters has been the way in which man’s mind has grown out of the animal mind.” He includes in his treatment all the subjects usually found in a text-book of psychology, and in several cases, notably in the chapter on Repression and Sub- limation, he gives an exceptionally clear and helpful introduction to modern views. The chapter on Individual Differences in Intellect is a masterpiece for the simplicity and clearness with which it presents some of the most funda- mental principles of statistics?its only draw- back is its brevity.
The book was designed for the beginner, and for him it offers an attractive introduction to the study of psychology and one that will make most serious weakness of the book is that it him want to pursue the subject further. The gives the reader no signposts for further study. There is no bibliography and few references to other works are given in a form that would enable the reader to pursue the matter further. These omissions are the more regrettable be- cause, although Professor Thomson notes in many cases that there is conflict of opinion, the very ease and lucidity of his presentation might give the reader an impression of finality with regard to subjects which further reading would reveal to be involved in perfect quagmires of discussion. For the reader who is specially in- terested in the problems of Mental Welfare, the book affords an admirable introduction to psychology, and it has the merit of giving a very readable non-technical account of some recent results that are of special importance from the point of view of Mental Welfare.
This applies particularly to the chapters on Brain Localisation and the Nature of Satisfac- tion and Dissatisfaction.
V. H. ” Incendiarism in Adult Males : with special REFERENCE TO THE SUBNORMAL AND MENTALLY DEFECTIVE PERSON.” By H. T. P. Young, Medical Officer, H.M. Convict Prison, Parkhurst.
The interesting article which appeared in the Lancet has been reprinted, and is another example of the results of researches in mental deficiency which are so often given to the public in pamphlet rather than book form. Dr Young tells us that ” among offenders who undergo a routine mental examination before trial at remand prisons are those charged with arson.” He gives details of some cases received at Brixton during 1921, 1922, and 1923. Thirty-six prisoners were detained there on a charge of arson out of a total of 23,959 persons accused of indictable and non-indictable offences. ” In the arson cases mental disease in some degree was frequently found to be present, 11 of the 36 Brixton cases being so affected, amounting to about 30 per cent, of the whole, while 9 were subnormal or certifiable as mentally deficient, representing 25 per cent. In a supplementary group of 8 cases which were not included in the Brixton figures, 3 were regarded as insane and 3 as subnormal or defective.”
” Studies of Mental Defects and Handi- caps.” Miami University Bulletin. By J. E. Wallace Wallin, Ph.D. In this collection of papers which have appeared previously in various scientific and educational publications, Dr Wallin gives us in handy form the ” fruition of many years of systematic, original investigation and reflec- tion.” The headings of the various chapters, such as ” An investigation of the sex, relationship, marriage, delinquency and truancy of children assigned to special public school classes,” or ” Theories of Stuttering ” indicate the interesting nature of this publica- tion.
“The Visiting Teacher Movement.” By Julius John Oppenheimer. 2nd Edition. New York, 1925.
In our July issue we published a review of ” The Problem Child in School ” (issued by the Joint Committee on Methods of Prevent- ing Delinquency), and in ” The Visiting Teacher Movement ” the same Committee gives additional matter for the further study of the methods and results of this American development for the care of the child who does not adjust itself fully to school-life. The appointment of trained visiting teachers to get in touch with the child in its home surround- ings, was first made in one or two cities in 1906-1907, and the work is being continued by the Joint Committee in 30 communities, as demonstrations of the value of this inter- mediary between the home and the school. Several cities have lately adopted the scheme as part of their regular school organisation* and it bids fair to become, in the future, par of the general American school system. The reasons for the appointment of visiting teacher5 are thus set out :?
” Because of the increase in the size ot classes, the increase in the amount of work* and the change in social conditions, the teacher has not been able to maintain the close personal relationships with the children that she did in former years… . Educa- tional methods are increasingly stressing ? (1) the need of providing for individual dif- ferences ; (2) the use of the child’s ex- periences as the basis of school education! and (3) the importance of the moral and social aspects of education.”
The requirements usually demanded of a visiting teacher are a college degree or its equivalent, and teaching, or social experience) or both, and the whole system appears to be elaborated with all the attention to minuti# of American organisation.
The Will Temperament and Its Testing- By June E. Downey, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, University of Wyoming”- George G. Harrap & Co., Price 7s. 6d. This book and the Manual of Directions, which must be read with it, describes a number of tests, which require careful consideration! more especially as it is coming to be realised that temperamental instability is a factor in producing anti-social actions at least as in1” portant as mental deficiency.
It is impossible in the space available to do more than draw attention to the tests, which are thirteen in number, and from which con- clusions can be drawn respecting three phases of activity :?
Speed and fluidity of reaction.
(2) Forcefulness and decisiveness of reaction, and (3) Carefulness and persistence of reaction. For each of these phases four tests are given for different aspects of the reactions thus :? (1) (a) Speed of movement, (b) Freedom from load, (c) Flexibility, (d) Speed of decision. (2) Motor impulsion, (b) Reaction to con- tradiction. (c) Resistance to opposition, (d) Finality of judgment. MENTAL WELFARE. 109 (^) (a) Motor inhibition, (b) Interest and detail, (c) Co-ordination of impulses, (d) Volitional preservation.
k these tests have a time factor and all *-lree cons’s^ in writing- the name of the aminee or a short sentence under various ?nthtions of speed, space allotted, voluntary an<r?isin?:’ e^c’ ^ ^le ot^ier three (1) (d) on ? ^ are tested marking” in a list of PPosite qualities, which of each pair the can- ^te considers he possesses and revising the jn?1Ce later on and (2) (b) the candidate, hav- is ch?sen one of two similar envelopes, a^ter an interval, asked which he chose, th a^ter saying which it was, is told it was CQe ?ther. His strength of reaction to this tradiction is assessed according to a scale ,ven in the Manual.
jq All the twelve tests are rated from 1 to ^ and scored according to directions given. Q ^ Plotting out the score under each head cu Sclu.ared paper and joining up the dots, a -e is produced which the author calls the t 1 “temperament profile and from which the . Peramental quality of the examinee can be tig ?^Cet^’ This profile almost always shows loed peaks and depressions. Thus a rapidly an !n? excitable person has a peak in (1) tyitl ^er^aPs in (2) but a depression in (3) while, 1 the slow methodical person the profile is the Pea^ in (3)- I” another the t a ^ure> resembling for this purpose ad r telligence Quotient, is arrived at by t, ln8” together all the scores, when the Au- of?tkSS states that a score of 90 or over out so r Possible 120 indicates a forceful per- 0rna ty, a total below 50 one which is weak te Psyph?pathic. It is unlikely that these ^ s will be accepted entirely in their present ess^’ ant^ ‘s Quite realised by the Author- > who asks for criticism.
One point which may be urged is that tem- a ment is n?t a fixed quality but varies with the’ ant* t^lat with most people during life in tk w?uid be a continuous shift of the peak ther f Pro^e from (1) towards (3) and that , etore norms would have to be prepared t0r various ages.
qu^.n?ther practical difficulty is the time re- co ? ‘? *^us the test (3) (a) Motor Inhibition, AnJSl?tin?” ?f writing ” The United States of Pin^riCa ” as slowly as possible without stop- s’) must, according to the Manual, take at least 18 minutes with two further trials if this time limit is not attained in the first or second. Though none of the other tests would take quite as long- as this, yet when these are to be added to intelligence tests, voca- tional tests, and possibly ethical tests, it is obvious that the number of persons to whom thecan be applied will be limited. J. W. F.
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