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As the preface says, “This project is a study of certain aspects of the methodology of personality-test construction—A second purpose is an exploratory study of personality conflict at the high school level.” The author is interested in quantitative techniques. By fulcra of conflict he indicates the factors which “constitute subjective components, concomitants, or contingencies of experience,” such as mother's beliefs and ideals, description of mother, etc., etc. Fifty-three items were employed. It was found that self-reports were not adequate unless disguised; signed self-reports were unreliable. The final revision of the experience appraisal is not included in the scope of this initial project the major study of which “is the establishment of the measurement hypothesis.” The author feels the results of this initial project appear to justify the innovations in method. After further work is completed it is felt that thorough empirical testing will be required.
The volume already indicates a huge amount of work and the further studies may be patiently awaited. There is a large bibliography and numerous tables. The volume is dedicated to Marion E. Kenworthy, an accredited psychoanalyst; the author more or less depreciates psychoanalysis (p. 37); one wonders how much of this personality work would have been possible without Freud's contribution on parent child relationships.