the trouble with him, this may help.
Nothing, indeed, is more probable; it is when we have the facts and
trace out cause and effect that we are in a fair way to do good.
Nothing is more humane than psychology, in the long run, even though
the psychologist may seem unfeeling in the course of his
investigation.

To the psychologist, conduct is a matter of cause and effect, of
natural law. His business is to know the laws of that part of nature
which we call human nature, and to use these laws, as fast as
discovered, for solving the problems presented by the human individual
or group. For him, even the most capricious conduct has its causes,
even the most inexplicable has its explanation--if only the cause can
be unearthed, which he does not pretend he can always actually
accomplish, since causes in the mental realm are often very complex.
No one can be a psychologist all of the time; no one can or should
always maintain this matter-of-fact attitude towards self and
neighbor. But some experience with the psychological attitude is of
practical value to any one, in giving clearer insight, more
toleration, better control, and even saner standards of living.

{19}

EXERCISES

1. Outline the chapter. A sample outline of the briefer sort is
here given:

A. Subject-matter of psychology: mental activities.

(1) A sub-class under vital activities.

(2) Activities of individuals, as distinguished from

(a) Activities of social groups (sociology).

(b) Activities of single organs (physiology).

(3) Either conscious, or closely related to conscious activities.

(4) May be activities of human or animal, adult or child,
normal or abnormal individuals.

B. Problems of psychology:

(1) How individuals differ in their mental activities.

(2) How individuals are alike in their mental activities.

(3) Practical applications of either (1) or (2).

C. Methods of psychology:

(1) Methods of observing mental activities.

(a) Introspective, the observing by an individual of his own actions.

(b) Objective, the observation of the behavior of other individuals.

(2) General lines of attack upon psychological problems.

(a) Experimental: vary the conditions and see how the mental
activity changes.

(b) Comparative: test different individuals or
classes and see how mental activity differs, etc.

(c) Genetic: trace mental development.

(d) Pathological: examine