The Nature-Nurture Controversy: By Nicholas Pastore. New York: King's Crown Press, 1949. 213 pp.

It has often been supposed that the position taken by a scientist in the nature-nurture controversy bears a distinct relation to his social and political views; those who regard heredity as exerting a preponderant influence upon human personality are inclined to be 'conservative' in social and political outlook, while those who emphasize environmental factors are generally 'progressive' (liberal or radical) in these matters. The present volume undertakes to determine whether this alleged correlation actually exists. The method used is to present, in some detail, the views of twenty-four prominent British and American scientists on the relative importance of heredity and environment as formative influences, as well as their views on social and political problems. Twelve 'hereditarians' are studied, among them Galton, Pearson, Terman, McDougall, and Thorndike; likewise, twelve 'environmentalists', among these Cattell, Boas, Jennings, Hogben, Haldane, and John B. Watson. The expected correlation is found to exist in all but two of the twenty-four scientists. Terman, while inclined to stress hereditary factors, is found to be liberal in social outlook; Watson, while favoring environmentalism in the nature-nurture controversy, is conservative in his social views. Despite these two contradictions, the author considers the correlation demonstrated.