384 



SCIENCE 



[Vol. LV, ^'o. 1424 



In general we may say that those persons 

 who rank above 50 in the most essential traits 

 give promise of achievement in a career in 

 psychology. 



Natural interest is another factor of which 

 we should take aceoimt. A student seeking a 

 career in psychology may have the opportunity 

 of following his natural bent for interest in 

 pure science or its applications to the educa- 

 tional, social, ethical, medical, artistic, and 

 other fields of human interest in which he may 

 find his natural bent. 



Training 



The study of psychology is usually begun in 

 the second year in college; whereas many other 

 subjects are begun in the high school or in the 

 freshman year. As a result, it usually becomes 

 a more advanced subject and there is more 

 necessity for carrying it into graduate study. 

 Moat standard colleges and universities now 

 offer good introductory courses in the subject, 

 but beyond the elementary work, the student 

 should seek institutions in which the particu- 

 lar phase of psychology that he desires to pur- 

 sue is most adequately represented. The best 

 is none too good for one who desires to special- 

 ize. In selecting, let the student choose, not 

 on the basis of size of institution, but with ref- 

 erence to the men who are recognized as most 

 worth while in a particular specialty. 



As a prerequisite to a career in psychology, it 

 is desirable that one should have command of 

 French and German as a large portion of the 

 literature on the subject is in these languages. 

 He should also have pursued elementary 

 courses in mathematics, biology, and physics. 

 Other college subjects may be carried to ad- 

 vantage with, or in sequence to, an elementary 

 course in psychology. 



There is now a movement on foot to provide 

 for the certification of psychologists. Such cer- 

 tification will be based on certain types of 

 coui-ses, usually covering about three years of 

 gi-aduate work, and will entitle the psychologist 

 to practice within his field of specialization. 

 Legislation covering such licensing is now be- 

 ing passed by dft'erent states. 



Psychology is a new science. In seeking ad- 

 vice, only those who are conversant with cur- 



rent literature and present movements in the 

 subject should be consulted. 



Types of Career 



There are at present four distinct types of 

 outlet : 



Teachers of Psychology — The nature of this 

 work and its opportunities are perhaps best 

 known. 



Scientific Research — The coming in of ex- 

 perimental psychology has opened up most fas- 

 cinating new fields of investigation and many 

 agencies furnish opportunity for a career as 

 original investigator. The leading universities 

 usually encourage this in connection with some 

 teaching; but there are opportunities in univer- 

 sities, scientific foundations, surveys, and pri- 

 vately supported enterprises for persons who 

 are unusually qualified for this type of work. 



Specialists and Consulting Psycliologists — 

 Here the opportunities are most varied and new 

 fields are opening rapidly as a result of re- 

 search in each of the branches of applied 

 psychology. 



Technicians — Ail the specialists require tech- 

 nicians of various kinds as assistants. Most 

 of these positions are, however, used as step- 

 ping-stones or apprenticeships in the gaining 

 of experience for independent work. 



Highly qualified advanced students can often 

 find scholarships, fellowships, assistantships, 

 and other financial provisions, given theoreti- 

 cally in recognition of some type of apprentice- 

 ship to graduate students. The remunerations 

 open to persons who seek a career in psychol- 

 ogy vary so much that figures would not be 

 significant. In general, they depend upon the 

 natural ability, the degree of training, and 

 successful specialization. 



C. E. Seashore,' 

 Division of Anthropoloby a:jd Psychology, 

 National Eeseaech Council 



HORTICULTURE AS A SCIENCE^ 

 Like most applied sciences, horticulture has 

 evolved by very slow degrees from an art, go-- 

 erned by rules justified by experience, to a 



1 Bead before the Association of Southern Agri- 

 tultural Workers, Atlanta, Georgia, February 21, 

 1922 



