3 88 
EMPLOYMENT PSYCHOLOGY 
yet received little attention but which is becoming daily 
more important; that is, the classification of workers into 
trades and grades. One of the greatest hindrances to the 
amicable settlement of wage disputes has been the lack 
of such classifications. When, for instance, a group of 
tool makers ask for a certain minimum wage for all first- 
rate tool makers and another minimum for all second-rate 
tool makers, the rock on which negotiations often split 
is the question: How do you distinguish between what 
constitutes a first-rate and a second-rate tool maker? The 
workers fear that the manufacturer will make the classifi 
cation to his advantage if he is allowed the final word; 
the manufacturer fears that unless he makes the clas 
sification himself it will result to his disadvantage. Conse 
quently, because neither party to the discussion possesses 
an impartial or impersonal criterion upon which to base 
a classification, the misunderstanding between both 
parties grows. This is a situation which has arisen very 
frequently in recent years and which is bound to arise 
with increasing frequency as the organization of labor 
continues to develop. Now, situations of this kind fur 
nish a perfect illustration of the value and impartiality 
of the psychological method. It will be remembered that 
the introductory chapter described employment psychol 
ogy as the application of exact and standard measures 
to the problems of employment, in contrast with the crude 
and prejudiced estimates of the human mind. In situa 
tions of this kind, just such scientific measures are needed. 
The manufacturer does not rely upon the judgment of 
the workers, and the workers are not willing to rely on his. 
Both judgments are naturally biased, and therefore sub 
ject to error. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary 
to appeal to an unbiased and impersonal criterion. Arbi