Review of The science of human behavior

Abstract

Reviews the book, The science of human behavior by W. T. Wait (1938). In this book Professor Wait addresses himself to university freshmen in an attempt to explain the "hows" and "whys" of human behavior. The book thus becomes an attempt to answer the question "How do we get that way?". To say that Professor Wait completely succeeds in his task would be to invest him with more knowledge than that of all psychologists combined. The question is one to which no categorical answer can so far be given. The present state of our knowledge regarding the ways of human behavior is incomplete. We can pass on what we know, but at the same time we must point out that our knowledge is only tentative, and that further important developments are to be expected. The reader who bears these cautions in mind will derive much value from the book. But whoever expects a final answer to the question "How do we get that way?" will be disappointed, for neither Professor Wait nor any one else can tell us that--yet. Professor Wait's book reads well. The reader who delights in the particular as opposed to the general, will find in the book a host of very good and pertinent illustrations. The work is well suited for a supplementary book in general psychology, but it is the writer's opinion that, as a general textbook in this subject, it falls short of the standard set by Gardner Murphy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)