Elements of Psychology. by Knight DunlapReview by: J. F. DashiellSocial Forces, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Oct., 1937), p. 151Published by: Oxford University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2571078 .

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LIBRARY AND WORKSHOP

beliefs and attitudes that delineate them- selves against the background of business depression and political digression from accustomed ways. This time also the narrative is reinforced by footnotes and appendix data that validate and clarify.

Middletown in transition is America in transition; it is a mid-land vantage point from which we can discern portentous trends ruralward and cityward, leftward and rightward, in a nation vexed by dilem- mas. Those who would understand our typical city life amid changes that are derived from cultural sources beyond its control, will own this book, will study it, and will encourage others to do so.

LEE M. BROOKS. University of North Carolina.

ELEMENTS OF PSYCHOLOGY. By Knight Dunlap. St. Louis: The C. V. Mosby Co., I936. 499 PP. $3.00.

This book is in essentials a revision of the author's Elements of Scientific Psychology, published in i9zz; and it is marked by the same sorts of inclusions and exclusions. There reappear here some of the materials that marked the earlier book with origi- nality of interpretation or of presentation. For instance: the clean-cut analysis of how a child's perception of an object (orange) is developed (pp. I95 if.); unusually effec- tive photographs showing factors in visual perceiving of distance (Figures, 47, 48, 5i, and 5'); the schematic reduction of associative sequences of syllables to kin- esthetic linkages (pp. Z94 ff.); based there- on, the reduction of thinking processes either to actual minimal muscular activi- ties or to a short-circuiting mechanism (pp. 298, z84 if.); and the somewhat simi- lar analysis of imagery (pp. 4Z9 if.). And Dunlap now adds his theory of the suc- cessful use of negative practice, developed since the earlier book was written (pp. 377 ff.).

But we have glaring omissions-if a

book entitled Elements of Psychology may be expected to be a presentation of elements from the whole general field of psychology as we know it today. The cavalier treat- ment of Pavlov's experiments, which "have so far thrown no light on the funda- mental learning problems, physiological or psychological," is a characteristic dismissal of a whole set of major problems that are occupying a number of able psychologists and at least four of the best laboratories. There is no mention of the Wever-Bray phenomenon and theories in the relatively inclusive chapter on the Senses; and-still more striking-the reader gets no hint of the very rich field of investigative results on memorizing, from Ebbinghaus to McGeoch. As for social psychology, in spite of the fact that Dun- lap has put out a book on that topic, he gives the reader of the book before us no acquaintance with any problems or any research in those lines at all. There are other omissions.

Clearly, the scope of the book is deter- mined not by the character of courses being taught in American colleges taken collec- tively, nor by the directions of contem- porary research in psychology laboratories and reported at psychologists' meetings; nor is it determined by the actual factual status of the science today. The scope of the book represents the predominating interests of the particular author.

Concerning the style in which the book is written two points stand out. Clarity marks Dunlap's expositions throughout so that what he does say is said effectively. But a strong penchant for multiplying classifications and technical term-s (e.g., on pp. 5Z-53 and through the text) is likely to deter the reader. One figure is printed upside down (p. 67); but the pub- lishers have used excellent paper stock, type face, and binding.

J. F. DASHIELL.

University of North Cagrolina.

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