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Walter Dill Scott: Pioneer Industrial Psychologist

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 June 2012

Edmund C. Lynch
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor of Management, University of Texas, Austin

Abstract

In the history of personnel management and salesmanship in the United States, the concepts and techniques developed by Professor Walter Dill Scott of Northwestern University have been pervasive. As an introduction to Scott's ideas and to his activities, Professor Lynch summarizes his contributions in the application of psychology to business problems.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The President and Fellows of Harvard College 1968

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References

1 J. Z. Jacobson, Scott of Northwestern (Chicago, 1951), 31.Google Scholar

2 Ibid., 77.

3 Ibid., 44.

4 Ibid., 48.

5 Ibid., 72.

6 Scott, W. D., “The Psychology of Involuntary Attention as Applied to Advertising,” Agricultural Advertising, IX (January, 1902), 10Google Scholar and editorial comment, 4. Scott later noted that, while Gale was studying involuntary attention he was not interested in its application. Scott, W. D., Clothier, R. C., and Spriegel, W. R., Personnel Management (5th ed., New York, 1954), 242.Google Scholar

7 Scott, W. D., The Theory and Practice of Advertising (Boston, 1903Google Scholar). Scott said later that this book created a new era in the science of advertising, The Psychology of Advertising (Boston, 1908), 255.Google Scholar The later book resulted from the entire series.

8 One chapter in The Psychology of Advertising considered the strengths and limitations of the questionnaire with an example.

9 Published later as The Psychology of Public Speaking (Philadelphia, 1907Google Scholar) by the publishers of Talent. Scott said that he knew of no earlier work under this title (p. 11).

10 Jacobson, Scott, 53.

11 Scott, W. D., “The Psychology of Business – Wages,” System, XVIII (December, 1910), 610.Google Scholar The first article appeared in XVII (March, 1910), 252.

12 Psychological Bulletin, IX (November, 1912), 429.Google Scholar Strong was later a professor of psychology, George Peabody College for Teachers, and a member of the Committee on Classification of Personnel in the Army.

13 The series was published as Increasing Human Efficiency In Business (New York, 1911).Google Scholar

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17 National Association of Corporation Schools, Bulletin, I (March, 1914), 48.Google Scholar This is now Management Review.

18 National Association of Corporation Schools, Bulletin, I (July, 1914), 41.Google Scholar

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21 Scott, W. D., “The Scientific Selection of Salesmen, Part I,” Advertising and Selling, XXV (October, 1915), 5.Google Scholar Assisted by W. V. Bingham and G. M. Whipple he conducted a similar demonstration on July 8, 1916, with the same results. Salesmanship, IV (1916), 106.Google Scholar

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26 Scott, Scientific Selection of Salesmen, Part III, 69.

27 Ibid., 70. The poor salesmen in this test had already been selected for dismissal because of poor performance.

28 Scott, W. D., “A Fourth Method of Checking Results in Vocational Selection,” Journal of Applied Psychology, I (March, 1917), 81.Google Scholar All four methods were described.

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31 Ibid., 55. The eighteen companies were named.

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37 Ferguson, Bureau of Salesmanship Research, 57.

38 Ferguson, L. W., The Heritage of Industrial Psychology, Volume 9, Psychology and The Army — Introduction of The Rating Scale (Hartford, 1963), 125.Google Scholar Roswell P. Angier, Knight Dunlap, and Herbert S. Langfeld were present with Scott, Bingham, and Yerkes. H. L. Hollingworth, a member, was absent.

39 As early as April 10, 1917, Scott had considered the use of the aids in Army work. War Department, The Personnel System of the United States Army, Volume II, The Personnel Manual (Washington, 1919), 14.Google Scholar

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41 War Department, History of The Personnel System, 45.

42 Ibid., 51.

43 Ibid., 52. Scott's first version included: appearance, military experience, influence over men, regard for authority, vigor, stability, judgment, and total value to the regiment. Most of the change came before the test at Fort Myer.

44 Ibid., 56.

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48 Bingham summarized the work of this committee in “Army Personnel Work,” Journal of Applied Psychology, III (March, 1919), 1.Google Scholar

49 War Department, History of The Personnel System, 61.

50 Ibid., 3–24.

51 War Department, The Personnel Manual, 20.

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53 Crennan, C. H., editor of, The Annals, vol. 81 (January, 1919), considered trade tests a notable innovation, p. xiiGoogle Scholar, as did Douglas, Plant Administration, 554.

54 War Department, History of The Personnel System, 135. Yerkes agreed later that the main value of mental testing was in placement. Ferguson, L. W., The Heritage of Industrial Psychology, Volume 8, Psychology and The Army — Examining Recruits (Hartford, 1963), 113.Google Scholar

55 War Department, History of The Personnel System, 179–84.

56 A. M. Simons thought that this idea should be considered by industrial managers, Personnel Relations in Industry (New York, 1921), 90.Google Scholar

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58 Ibid., 62. Scott was commissioned a colonel in the Adjutant General's Department on November 6, 1918.

59 Murchison, , History of Psychology, Volume 4, p. 22.Google Scholar The author of this paper participated in that revision.

60 Clothier, R. C., “Organization for an Occupational Survey,” Journal of Personnel Research, I (February, 1923), 427.Google Scholar

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64 Ferguson, Industrial Psychology and Labor, 15.

65 Ibid., 8.

66 Paterson, D. G., “The Scott Company's Graphic Rating Scale,” Journal of Personnel Research, I (Dec. 1922–Jan. 1923), 361.Google Scholar Several articles on the work of the Scott Company may be found in this volume.

67 Moore, Bruce V. and Hartman, George W., Readings in Industrial Psychology (New York (1931), 6.Google Scholar

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69 Ibid., 7, 60.

70 Ibid., 259.

71 Ibid., 598.

72 Personal interview with William R. Spriegel, distinguished professor of management, the University of Texas at Austin, December 1967.

73 Scott, W. D., “Changes in Some of Our Conceptions and Practices of Personnel,” Psychological Review, XXVII (March, 1920), 86.Google Scholar Edward B. Titchener, professor of psychology, Cornell University, was one of those who criticized Scott and later changed his views. Jacobson, Scott, 47.

74 Scott, W. D., “The Rate of Improvement in Efficiency,” System, XX (August, 1911), 162.Google Scholar

75 Jacobson, Scott, 52.

76 Gilson, M. B., What's Past Is Prologue (New York, 1940), 65.Google Scholar

77 Interview with Spriegel December 1967.

78 Bingham, W. V., “Salute to the Pioneer of Personnel Psychology,” Personnel Psychology, II (Summer, 1949), 274.Google Scholar Spriegel said that Bingham and Scott had a warm and deep liking and respect for each other, both personally and professionally.