Review of Temperament and race

Abstract

Reviews the book, Temperament and race by S. D. Porteus and Marjorie E. Babock. It has been recognized for many years that the different varieties of the human race exhibited different characteristics of temperament, intelligence, habits, and physical vitality and acquirements. It has also been admitted that history, political, religious, commercial and racial, has been determined to a greater or less extent by the diversity of these characteristics. In spite of this somewhat general cognizance of those important factors in the history and welfare of nations and races, little organized, scientific study of them was ever made until the last few years of this present century. The work reported which forms the basis of the news expounded in this extremely interesting book was performed by the authors in what is probably the most desirable place in the world from an experimental point of view, Hawaii. The mixture of races combines every known race except the American Indian and several varieties of some of them. Part I of the book is introductory, giving the reasons for the investigations, the importance of temperament in the race, and the methods to be used. Part II gives a very interesting and valuable history of the different races present in Hawaii. Part III is a social analysis of the different races and gives the results of the individual temperament of the race. Part IV deals with the brain development of the different races and gives some very illuminating facts and conclusions concerning the cranial capacity at different ages for both sexes of Anglo-Saxon, Japanese and Chinese children. Part V gives facts relative to the mentality of the different races. Binet tests and Army tests were made. Parts VI and VII are given to a discussion of the importance of exact knowledge concerning the relation of temperament to race and to racial futures. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)