Purposive Behavior in Animals and Men. By Edward C. Tolman. New York and London:  The Century Co., 1932. Pp.  xiv+463. Human Learning. By Edward L. Thorndike. New York and London:  The Century Co., 1932. Pp.  206.

These books are a part of the Century Psychology Series edited by Dr. Richard M. Elliott. The first mentioned volume by the professor of psychology at the University of California presents a system of psychology which the author calls “Purposive Behavior” and which is

intended to be neither physiological nor metaphysical. It is based upon the observations of animal and human behavior, with interpretations according to the facts and laws of learning. Earlier as well as recent experiments have shown that behavior is inherently purposive, posseses the totalizing or field characteristics asserted by Gestalt psychology, and conditions events by means of its immanent and objective characteristics.

The first part contains the author's general theoretical point of view of behavior as a molar phenomenon “that is behavior qua molar … is any organic activity, the occurrence of which can be characterized as docile relative to its consequences. Behavior in this sense is to be distinguished from such other organic activities as are neither a result of past learning nor capable of future learning. Behavior qua molar possesses characteristic molar properties which a mere detailed molecular description of its underlying physics and physiology completely leaves out.” Behaviorism as understood in this book is differentiated in a detailed way from the molecular behavior theories advocated by Watson, Weiss and Meyer, and also from the concepts of Holt, Perry, Singer, Hunter, Lashley, etc.

In parts two and three the behavior of rats, cats, monkeys and men is described and interpreted, particularly as it manifests itself in experimental situations. The various kinds of maze experiments with types of performance and reaction conditions and discussions of the goal objects in the situations are presented in detail together with the formulation of several behavior principles, comprising nearly half of the book space. Part four under the caption of “Psychologist in the Laboratory “deals with s