481) 



AN INTKODUCTOKY OUTLINE OF SOME OF THE 

 PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF MODEEN PSYCHOLOGY. 



BY 

 F. S. LiVIE-NoBLE. 



Read Juhj 13, 1922. 



A few prefatory words are necessar)^ t(? explain the origin, 

 , character and purpose of this paper. 



Its origin is due to the intense importance of the subject, 

 but also to the fact that, on looking through our schedule of 

 sections and subject, I was unable to find the word Psychology 

 anywhere used. One possible explanation of this omission seemed 

 to be that the subject was not considered of sufficient importance 

 to merit notice — as indeed has been the view of the authorities 

 of more than one University until quite recently. Since I believe 

 that it is a subject of more than academic interest, I have 

 presented this paper. 



The paper claims to be nothing more than an introductory 

 outline, and that fact — together with the demands of brevity for 

 printing — has caused me to omit many examples, references, and 

 all authorities (except one). 



The subject is to be regarded not as a sub-section of other 

 studies, or the subject of a few " cranks," but rather as a general 

 foundation upon which to build other studies. This paper does 

 not profess to deal with psychological research, much less with 

 the history of psychology as a whole. 



Psychology is a real and vital subject ; and, in as much as we 

 are each possessed of much more than a physical structure and 

 automatic activities, psychology means much to us — in fact, just 

 as much as we are willing to allow it to mean. In all the 

 activities of life in which something more than chemical action 

 and automatic response is required, there psychology will have 

 some help to offer us. Therefore, I shall aim at fostering discus- 

 sion on the suggestions of utility which will be raised. I hope to 

 arouse interest rather than to satisfy it here; to encourage my 

 readers to study the subject rather than to make mere dogmatic 

 assertions. 



A word must be said about the psychological viewpoint which 

 is adopted in this paper. The old school of psychologists regarded 

 their subject as " the Science of Mind," and accordingly they 

 delved into the processes of reason, mental energy and memory ; 

 and before long they had invaded the realms of philosophy. I 

 even think that some of this old school tried to define " Mind " — 

 a task pre-eminently for the philosopher and metaphysician. 



GG 



