354 THE NEW WORLD OF SCIENCE 



for tasks requiring special mental aptitude; (5) problems of 

 recreation and amusement in the army and navy; (6) problems 

 of vision; (7) pedagogical and psychological problems of mili- 

 tary training and discipline; (8) problems of incapacity, in- 

 cluding those of shell shock and reeducation; (9) problems of 

 emotional instability, fear and inadequate self-control; (10) 

 methods of influencing the morale of the enemy; (n) problems 

 of hearing affecting military activities; (12) tests of deception. 



This list will give the reader some idea of the range of in- 

 terest in military problems which existed among psychologists 

 even before they had had opportunity to observe directly the 

 needs o^the army and the navy. Altogether during the war 

 more than a score of committees of psychologists furthered the 

 applications of their science to the military situation. Most 

 of them rendered effective service. But it was shortly dis- 

 covered that committee action and the work of civilian psy- 

 chologists would not suffice. In many instances, it was abso- 

 lutely essential that the scientists who wished to serve even in 

 their professional capacity should become parts of the military 

 machine. There was no hesitation about accepting such re- 

 sponsibility, although it often entailed serious personal sacri- 

 fice. There existed everywhere faith in the possibility of use- 

 fulness, determination to serve successfully, and a desire to 

 get together and cooperate effectively. 



The spring and summer of 1917 saw little progress toward 

 psychological military service beyond that of organization. 

 There were few good leads and the unprejudiced observer of 

 the activities of American psychologists might fairly have con- 

 cluded that all their eagerness and busyness would contribute 

 nothing to our military success unless these scientifically in- 

 clined individuals exchanged their habitually professional roles 

 for that. of the combatant soldier. 



By the middle of summer the situation began to change 

 rapidly, for the War Department had become aware of cer- 

 tain possibilities of psychological service. The first success- 

 ful approach by psychologists was made on the Medical De- 



