2 4 4 
EMPLOYMENT PSYCHOLOGY 
psychological tests. It has been seen how the use of tests 
makes it possible to compare applicants in an exact way 
with each other and with a mathematically exact standard 
which has been experimentally determined beforehand. 
The observational method does not provide such stand 
ards, and makes it impossible to compare people with 
each other except in the crudest way. Nor does it pro 
vide a standard type, based upon a careful-job analysis, to 
which applicants can be compared. Sometimes, the pic 
ture of a man, well known as a success in a particular 
field, is given as an example. But such pictures are not 
scientific standards, and can not be used as a basis for 
making measurements and exact comparisons. The 
pictures of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln 
can not be used as a guide in the election of other pres 
idents. Moreover, it is absurd to expect an observer to 
carry standards in his head, and to compare sizes, colors, 
textures and so on in his mind. This is the very antithesis 
of the scientific method. 
Finally, the method of observation described does 
not rise above describing character in terms of gen 
eralities and abstract personal qualities. Since its funda 
mental measurements are of the crudest sort, the terms 
in which it estimates people are necessarily equally 
crude. The great variety of distinctions and the many 
concrete differences in abilities which must be taken into 
account in modern industry are covered here only by 
generalities. It may be that observation is better cal 
culated to bring out the extreme differences between 
men, to select the genius or the exceptional man from 
among the large and colorless mediocre class. This would 
indeed be a boon to mankind. However, a scientific 
procedure which can attain to this height has not yet been