HOW PEOPLE ARE CONTROLLED

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21457, 26 April 1935, Page 6

HOW PEOPLE ARE CONTROLLED

KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN NATURE WHAT PSYCHOLOGY TEACHES "The Art of Handling People" was the subject of an address by Mr A. L. B. Noohan to the Advertising Club on Wednesday evening.' 1 He showed the value of understanding the elements of a man's mental make-up in the various relationships of life, and outlined what psychology had to teach the practical man.

"The instincts which men inherit are often not suited'to the present age," said Mr Noonan; "they come down to us from primitive times, and such emotions as fear arc often aroused to-day by the jonditions which caused them in the past when they were factors for self-preserva-tion. This is more noticeable in children. The baby is afraid of the dark, where terrors lurked for the primitive man; but it will play happily with a loaded revolver. To understand these emotions and to know how to call them forth is one o" the secrets of controlling human beings." Sentiments Very Strong Mr Noonan said that the emotions were organised into permanent sentiments.. The sentiment of patriotism included such emotions as the child's love for its mother, self-assertion, self-abasement, and pugnacity. An appeal to patriotism might arouse any or all of these emotions. It was impossible to repress the emotions or to ignore sentiments. Politicians who dealt with peoples on a geographical rcther than a sentimental basis would find that patriotism, as in the case of the Saar plebiscite, would reassert itself.

It was very dangerous to rule people by arousing one emotion only. The old-fashioned schoolmaster attempted to control his pupils through fear, especially fear of corporal punishment. Some employers treated their employees in the same way when they held over them the fear of losing their jobs. Often people who could not be controlled b- one emotion could be controlled when another was appealed to; an example was that of a schoolboy who could not be deterred from breaking rules by punishment. A cure was efTected by making him a monitor, and counteracting the feeling of inferiority he had gained in earlier years. Training based on the repression of emotions explained why well-trained children often broke loose in later life and acted anti-socially. Study of Intelligence The study of intelligence, which was comparatively recent, was most important. Men had common emotions, but their intelligence varied greatly. A study and assessment of a person's general intelligence and special abilities meant that misfits in work could be avoided. It was intelligence that enabled human beings to rise above the instinctive and emotional level. "We must know a man by his instincts and emotions, his sentiments, and his intelligence," said Mr Noonan in conclusion. "Above all we should never show contempt for his behaviour. Everything he does is caused by some inherent mental characteristic; it is our duty as sfudo•">.<:; of psychology to understand this—not to despise him for the way hv. acts." Mr J. Stout presided over the meeting, which was very well at- ! tended. Mr Noonan was accorded | a hearty vote of thanks.