Applied psychology
Abstract
Reviews the book, by Bernard C. Ewer (1923). From the standpoint of psychological science there are two reasons why it seems at present unprofitable to write textbooks or treatises on "applied psychology". First, the fields of application of psychology have become so numerous, and many of them have undergone such vast development that a work adequately covering the territory would be both unwieldy in bulk and lacking in unity. Secondly, owing to this extensive specialization serious students are devoting their energies to limited fields of application and investigation. In recognition of these facts Professor Ewer has greatly limited the scope of his work and has omitted, or only briefly referred to, such important developments as legal and criminal psychology, psychology in relation to the fine arts, and numerous sociological applications. Even with this limitation, however, it is impossible to do justice to the remaining fields, namely educational, clinical, and industrial psychology in a single volume. The treatment tends to be sketchy, consisting of brief allusions to experimental work, and too many generalizations on the ways in which psychology may be put to practical service. The book will serve a useful purpose for the general reader who wishes a cultural acquaintance with practical psychology. It is unsuited, however, for the more exacting requirements of a college text. The author is to be commended for his clear contribution to the enlightenment and education of the public against the many fraudulent pretensions of therapy and vocational counsel masquerading under the name of psychology.