Emotion and the Educative Process. By
; and, in the event
D. A. Prescott, Professor of Education,
Rutgers University, American Council
on Education, Washington. 1938.
Pp. VIII+ 323. Price $1.50.
The material of the book consists of a
report of a committee set up in 1931, and
'
working since, to outline and conduct an
exploratory study as to the recognition to
be accorded emotional factors in the
educational process, with special reference
to the questions whether emotion has been
unduly ignored in the stress laid upon the
acquisition of knowledge .
; whether
education should concern itself zvith the
strength and direction of desires developed
or inhibited by the educational process;
whether the stress laid on the attitude of
neutral detachment,desirable in the scientific
observer, has been unduly extended into
oilier spheres of life .
that it should appear desirable for education
to concern itself more directly zvith the
development and direction of emotion, to
consider by ii'hat devices emotion may be
more accurately described, measured and
oriented.' Although the form of the book is
clue to the chairman, Professor Prescott, all
eight members of committee have con-
tributed by discussion and suggestion, and
signify their approval of the report as a
whole.
The ground covered in the various
chapters is very comprehensive and
thorough, and nowhere are the educational
implications lost sight of. The committee
does not hesitate to state that it regards the
present work as only a beginning of the
problem, but if so, its research has been
detailed and painstaking.
126 MENTAL
The first few chapters deal with
theoretical views of the affective side and
their bearing on education. Much is made
of Dumas' three levels of emotional
behaviour in terms of level of shock, "les
petits chocs", "les chocs vioyeiis" and "les
tjrands chocs ", mild, strong and disintegra-
tive shocks. Emotions may be regarded as
adjustive reactions of the body in which
attempts are made to adapt the body
economy as a whole to the demands of any
situation. These adjustive reactions show
more significant variation in regard to the
intensity of the shock or emotion ex-
perienced than they do in passing from one
category of emotion to another. This is an
important finding, and experimental
evidence from Dumas and others is quoted
in its support. Mild emotions, pleasant or
unpleasant, cause a moderate increase in all
normal physiological functions, and so arc-
tonic in their effects. Educators, therefore,
need not hesitate to allow children to enjoy
a certain measure of excitment in school
through participation in a wide range of
moderate emotional experiences, although
the writer carefully notes that individual
differences in temperament must be studied.
Strong emotional shocks, however, present a
different story, and as they interfere with
some of the normal visceral functions, are
detrimental to health especially if of
frequent occurrence. Schools must be on
the watch for these, and so adjust their
work that all exciting causes may be
eradicated. The disintegrative emotions are
pathological, and outwith the scope of the
school.
Another important topic discussed is con-
trol of the emotions, and whether children
can be taught progressive relaxation to this
end. Emotionally conditioned attitudes, and
their importance in society are also con-
sidered in a valuable contribution. These
three topics are referred to later in chapters
dealing with the physiological basis of
experience and behaviour, and with the
patterning and trainability of affective
behaviour, in which the results of research
workers come under review.
An interesting chapter is that in which
affective maturity is discussed, its criteria,
and its relation to value concepts. The state-
ment is made towards the conclusion of
this chapter (p. 107) that anyone closely
associated with young people during the last
decade must have been impressed with
another serious problem?the common
WELFARE
absence of feelings of hope, purpose and
challenge in their lives Life has no signifi-
cant place for them. The writer feels that
one of the problems facing education is to
give experiences to young people which may
reveal possible significant roles for them.
The chapter concludes with a precis of the
role of education in producing affective
maturity.
Other chapters deal with equally impor-
'
tant topics such as Basic personality needs
and conditions which frustrate them' in
which the role played by affective factors
in causing maladjustment is considered.
Emphasis, it is suggested, should be placed
on the positive side, that is on factors in the
school which are favourable to wholesome
development, rather than on the negative
side, which presents a picture of the factors
which have produced unwholesome develop-
'
ment. Affective behaviour and contem-
porary social institutions and processes'
forms the topic of a very interesting chapter
in which the effect of over-stimulation of
children by jazz, radio and cinema is
discussed as well as the insecurity of
modern times, labour conditions, com-
petition, the increase of wants, etc.
An important chapter takes the influence
of affective factors upon learning as its
topic. The influence of motivation, the
mood of the learner, the affect experienced
during learning and at its conclusion,
factors affecting facilitation and retardation
of learning, the temperament of the learner,
?all come under review.
Chapter nine presents a summary of the
preceding chapters from the practical stand-
point. The wave of delinquency and crime,
of increasing mental breakdown and
insanity, the low standard in literature, news
and radio are attributed by public opinion
to the failure of the school. And yet the
schools and the staff are more efficient than
before, and the standard of teaching higher.
But character and emotional poise cannot
be achieved with the methods and material
allowed. Education requires to enter an
experimental period.
A long chapter (chapter ten) considers
aspects of education needing study. It
repays careful reading, for in it many im-
portant suggestions are made. Problems
of the classroom are discussed helpfully
and practically, and reveal first hand know-
ledge of modern school procedure. The
need for further specialised research is
emphasised throughout.
 MENTAL WELFARE 127

A chapter on personnel problems in

education in which the teachers' problems
are discussed, a chapter containing general

conclusions, and a bibliography, bring this

valuable report to a close.

This is undoubtedly an important book to

be read by all interested in the child and
young adult, by those working with mal-
adjusted children, as well as by the psycho-
logist and educationist. It is a book full of
valuable suggestions. The committee has
made a serious contribution to education
and to the wider problems of mental
hygiene. Although its findings may be
tentative, and retjuire verification, the book
will fulfil its purpose if it focusses attention
on the non-intellectual factors in education.

Its unattractive title may unfortunately

debar readers from discovering its worth.

M. Collins.