Review of Principles of employment psychology

Abstract

Reviews the book, Principles of employment psychology by H. E. Burtt (1926). The reviewer notes that this text-book on employment psychology is exactly what one who has read Burtt's earlier articles on this subject would expect. It is a sound, conservative, and thoroughly workmanlike accomplishment. It meets all the generally accepted requirements of a good text-book, in form, content, bibliography, segregation of technical detail, and proper distribution of emphasis. Its thesis is: "The problem of employment psychology consists of determining what mental capacities are needed for a given occupation and devising methods of measuring those capacities. These measurements may then be used upon applicants to determine their probable success in the occupation" (p. 4). Some of the topics discussed include: the history of vocational psychology; astrology; special capacity tests; intelligence aptitude; job analysis; and rating scales. The reviewer concludes that in the course of the book is brought together a mass of material, drawn from many sources, to illustrate the various ideas presented. From this viewpoint alone, Burtt's book is a valuable addition to the literature on this subject. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)