Fields of Concentration

The field of Psychology is medium-sized, having 63 concentrators, and is considered about the easiest in the College. The department is characterized by brilliant researchers, and poor tutoring. Since the subject is an inexact science, credit is given on examinations for original thought, making it still simpler to get by with a minimum of formal work. But pseudo-psychologists are warned that unless they have a real interested in the research possibilities of this growing subject, they will have a lonely and neglected academic three years.

The faculty in this department, perhaps more than in any other, is concerned with individual research, and the student who expects to be 'taught" will find little here. Some criticism is leveled at it for this reason and for its general tutorial laxness. Others say that the varying schools of thought and branches of psychology, (such as social, experimental, psycho-physical, abnormal and dynamic), make it impossible to present a well-organized front of teaching. There seems to be plenty of raw material in the department for men who are willing to dig for it.

A good introductory course for beginners is now offered in Psychology A, providing the same sort of background to the field as History 1 and Philosophy A do for theirs. This course and Psychology 5, 24, and 16 are recommended not only as among the best to take but as essential for divisionals. 21, a or b, or 22b are also suggested as good for this purpose.

A list of the principal courses, and comments on them and on the men who give them follows:

A. Introduction to Psychology -- This course is designed both for those who will continue in the field and for those who want only a survey. The course has been considerably modernized and brushed up for next year. Boring, who heads the course, is recommended for his scholarship, and the lecturing is divided among several other members of the department, Allport taking the second largest number.

5. Advanced Psychology--Excellent course, but student must be seriously interested to take it, for the subject matter is partly the highly technical psycho-physics. A not naturally interesting subject made palatable by really interested teaching. Beebe-Center, who gives the course, is very good.

6. Comparative Psychology--The only course in this branch of psychology and hence valuable for divisionals but concentrators are lukewarm about it. It is improving and becoming better organized, although Anderson who gives it does not receive much praise as a tutor, and is better as a researcher on the physiological end.

10. Experimental Psychology: Introductory Laboratory--Interesting and comparatively easy; helps to build a good foundation; should be taken only after course A. Stevens is regarded as a fine researcher, good in teaching his own field of psycho-physics but is so busy with research that he has time and interest only for those of his tutees who are working in his own rather restricted field.

16. Introduction to Social Psychology--A good course with a great deal, perhaps too much, of reading. McGregor is labelled friendly, human, cooperative and a lecturer with a good stage presence. He is one of the two good tutors in the departments, really interested in his tutees and unsparing of his own time.

16a. Methods and Theories of Social Psychology--Excellent course; should be given more often. Valuable for divisionals.

16b. Psychology of Personality--Not as useful. Allport, who gives both these courses receives a high rating from concentrators. His courses are well organized, he gives careful criticism to course papers and is a conscientious and capable tutor.

24. Abnormal and Dynamic Psychology--Considered one of the best courses in the field, and vital for divisionals. Murray was very popular, but won't be here next year. The course will be a one-half course.

Of the advanced courses, 31 is recommended as a good history of psychology, handy for divisionals.

The department is well equipped with a clinic which gives students a chance to study actual living conditions as well as theory. The various parts of the department are scattered under several roofs