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Influencing Human Behavior
The following chapters are the substance of a course of lectures given last year [1924] at the New School for Social Research in New York City. In a number of respects the course was unusual. In the first place, it was requested by the students—men and women—and was given under the auspices of their Cooperative Association. In the second place, the manner in which the request was worded was significant. It came as a petition "for a course indicating how human behavior can actually be changed in the light of the new knowledge gained through psychology. We have in our group educators, social workers, lawyers, business men and women, and those describing themselves as having no vocation. We have in common an interest in understanding and improving social conditions. Besides this, and perhaps first of all, we desire to utilize as a part of our everyday technique of action such knowledge as modern psychology can furnish us. Our interest is not academic. We wish actually to function with such knowledge as we may gain."
From the outset, therefore, the course belonged to the students. Throughout the conduct of it, there was the closest cooperation between lecturer and class. Usually at least four discussion groups were meeting before the lecture hour; while one group met on another evening at the home of a member. The students were requested to cooperate actively in making observations and experiments and to report their findings. As a result, the lecturer became the much enlightened possessor of a large amount of valuable material contributed by the members of the class. It has not been possible to incorporate more than a small portion of this material in the present volume. Some of the material has been gathered together in a final chapter; in other cases it has been slipped into the body of the text. The writer wishes that far more of it might have been used; but the limits of space have forbidden.
The course was, to the lecturer, one of the most stimulating that it has been his good fortune to give. It strengthened his belief in the very great value (a value as yet scarcely realized throughout the country) of serious and systematic study on the part of men and women who can contribute out of the maturity of their experience to the urgent problems of human behavior.
It seems invidious to single out any one person for special mention. But the course, in its inception and continuance, was so indebted to Mr. Daniel Cranford Smith for unflagging interest and intelligent devotion that I cannot forbear giving him my thanks. Also, I should like to make one other exception—in favor of my wife, who ought to be acknowledged as the unofficial lecturer on more pages than can easily be counted.
H. A. OVERSTREET
From the outset, therefore, the course belonged to the students. Throughout the conduct of it, there was the closest cooperation between lecturer and class. Usually at least four discussion groups were meeting before the lecture hour; while one group met on another evening at the home of a member. The students were requested to cooperate actively in making observations and experiments and to report their findings. As a result, the lecturer became the much enlightened possessor of a large amount of valuable material contributed by the members of the class. It has not been possible to incorporate more than a small portion of this material in the present volume. Some of the material has been gathered together in a final chapter; in other cases it has been slipped into the body of the text. The writer wishes that far more of it might have been used; but the limits of space have forbidden.
The course was, to the lecturer, one of the most stimulating that it has been his good fortune to give. It strengthened his belief in the very great value (a value as yet scarcely realized throughout the country) of serious and systematic study on the part of men and women who can contribute out of the maturity of their experience to the urgent problems of human behavior.
It seems invidious to single out any one person for special mention. But the course, in its inception and continuance, was so indebted to Mr. Daniel Cranford Smith for unflagging interest and intelligent devotion that I cannot forbear giving him my thanks. Also, I should like to make one other exception—in favor of my wife, who ought to be acknowledged as the unofficial lecturer on more pages than can easily be counted.
H. A. OVERSTREET
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 1925
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