One Overhears the Most Interesting Things Sometimes. The other day in the cafeteria I came across a rather ill assorted collection of bods buried in a seemingly most intellectual discussion. I was about to go by when a word stood out among the others and stopped me short. It was that little word Psychology. So naturally I investigated. And naturally I found them bellyaching over the general question of what the subject was all about, and what good it did anyway. As occasionally happens in the cafeteria it seemed that representatives of several faculties were forced by the crowded conditions of the situation, to remain in close proximity. As I said, an ill assorted collection of bods resulted. One very well dressed, very efficient gentleman, obviously from commerce seemed particularly intoxicated by his own verbosity. It appeared he saw no practical use to Psychology. A wiffy waffy subject he said, all up in the air. "What use is it to anybody ?" He supplied the answer himself—none, just a waste of time and money. It came out, however, that this young man had been upholding the evils of Psychology at his employers expense—he shortly retired from the scene. This now gave a few others a chance to speak. A couple of science guys maintained that Psychology was not a science-at best but a pseudo—science. At which point a bearded poetry-lover drawled that it certainly was not an art if that is what they meant. "Destroys all the beauty of love" (gazing into his neighbour's eyes—she being female). "I can learn more from Lolita anyway." This of course raised the question of how he had read Lolita.

It was lecture time so the eager students dispersed in haste. And I was left with a most unsatisfactory taste in my mouth, to wonder why my beloved subject should be so mutilated by So ill Informed a Group of Idiots. I even decided to do something about it.

The first step seemed to be to have a yarn with the horse itself. Professors being the busy beings they are, I was very fortunate in catching this one between occupations. I asked him if he minded my asking a few questions. He said not at all and proceeded to interview me.

A Question from Salient

"I Know this Seems a Funny Question to ask, but what is Psychology about Anyway?"

"Well," said he, "the answer must be, the term applied to the scientific study of behaviour, both animal and human."

This rung a bell so naturally I jumped on it. You used the term "scientific." What makes you say it is?

Scientific?

To which he replied that "serious students of Psychology believe it possible to study behaviour using the methods of science." They would agree that there are other methods for studying behaviour and gave philosophy and literature as two examples. The novelist writes about human behaviour and the philosopher reasons about it on the basis of fixed and given propositions about the nature of human nature. The difference, he said, between Psychology on the one hand and these others on the other hand, is that Psychology in employing methods of scientific investigation is trying to establish generalisations about behaviour that are true in the sense that they can be tested and confirmed by all other persons with the same amount of scientific training and skill.

This seemed to me to be precluding the great theorists like Freud, Jung, James, and I asked him if he intended this. He pointed out that a theorist was working from theories back to theories, but that in between were the cold, hard, stubborn facts they have to match.

The Practical Use of Psychology

This talk of facts brought to mind the remarks of the wise commerce gentleman. I mentioned this question of the use of Psychology.

The Professor pointed out that the Psychologist's task is rendered peculiarly difficult. We cannot talk too much of the practical uses for fear of spoiling our future efforts. People are still suspicious of Psychology; they don't want to think of themselves as guinea pigs. This situation does not occur with say physics or chemistry.

Psychology has as many applications in the community as there are kinds of behaviour that need to be understood, and hence controlled. It will range therefore all the way from an analysis of the best kind of reading dial in the cockpit of an aeroplane to the study of the mentally ill. These are examples among many.

Psychology Applied in Wellington

That is all well and good but, how is it applied to Wellington? To which he replied that even Wellington has a few psychologists employed—in the university, in business, in the government services. In business and the armed service Psychology works through vocational guidance, choosing the right person for the right job. The government services psychologists for the most part are helping in the diagnosis of personality difficulties of children in school or of convicted persons in our prisons.

Application to Victoria

And how does Victoria fit in? was the next question.

The answer was that primarily the department works for society as a whole by helping to train the minds of its young people. This, its number-one obligation could be carried out as well using Psychology as with any other science.

From the interests of Psychology, the role of the department is to train good psychologists. Secondly, when and where possible we try to offer training in some of the more important fields of applied Psychology, particularly clinical psychology.

Research

As well as all this in the department Involved in any research?

Yes, it is sponsoring research in a number of ongoing fields. There are five major emphases

By this time I was getting a you might say). So I thanked him and took my leave, feeling, however, rather more satisfied than I did before.