Problems of to-day from the point of view of a psychologist / by Hugo Münsterberg.

  • Hugo Münsterberg
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Problems of to-day from the point of view of a psychologist / by Hugo Münsterberg. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    serious drama is deserted, and the vaudeville houses are crowded; the serious editorials of the newspapers disap- pear, and the racy style wins success; the yellow-press tone colors larger and larger parts of politics, and even of court and church. And yet what else is the meaning of it but the victoiy of involuntary attention and the de- feat of voluntary attention? Human nature is indeed so arranged that the attention at first follows in an involuntary way all that is shining, loud, sensational and surprising. The real development of mankind lies In the growth of the voluntary attention, which Is not passively attracted, but which turns actively to that which is important and significant and valuable In itself. No one Is born with such a power. It has to be trained and educated. Yes, perhaps the deepest mean- ing of education Is to secure this mental energy which emancipates Itself from haphazard stimulations of the world and firmly holds that which conforms to our pur- poses and Ideals. This great function of education Is too much neglected. As a reaction against a rigid, empty, mechanical instruction, there swept over the country a wave of electivism which was meant to bring the bless- ings of freedom, but which did bring primarily a destruc- tion of self-discipline. It Is not difficult to foresee that much of this work must be undone. If kindergarten methods are allowed to penetrate where self-discipline of attention should be learned, the future citizen has lost his chance. Whoever is allowed always to follow the path of least