Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/855

 STUDY OF MAN 841

of investigation may be described more fully and determined more definitely.

LABORATORIES IN UNIVERSITIES.

While the initiative in psycho-physics came from Europe, it is in our country that it has developed to the greatest extent. A large number of laboratories have been established, most of which are in the universities. But the plan of these laboratories is mainly for pedagogical purposes. The research work is gen- erally done by students desiring to prepare theses for their doctorates. While many of these theses are very valuable, a university could hardly extend such work to large numbers of individuals, for to gather the facts, compute and tabulate the results, would involve clerical duties and other work not under- taken by universities. The psycho-physical work in the univer- sity is generally confined to small numbers of persons, who are a special class, so that it is doubtful whether conclusions obtained can always be applied to people in general.

The main object of a university is to prepare men for work, not to carry on their work.

NEED OF A LABORATORY FOR SOCIOLOGICAL PURPOSES.

There is need, then, for a psycho-physical laboratory differ- ent from those in our universities ; that is, one not pedagogical, but sociological and practical, and of more utility to society directly.

The purpose of such a laboratory is to collect sociological, pathological, and abnormal data as found especially in children, and in the criminal pauper and defective classes, and in hos- pitals ; to gather more special data with instruments of precision, and also to collect and publish the results of similar work in this country and Europe.

But it may be said that the time is not ripe for psycho- physical work on a large scale. This may be true of much of the finer experimental work carried on in our universities, some of which is an experiment with experiments. But the purpose of this laboratory is to apply to large numbers of individuals only such experiments as are well attested. For if there is ever