A historical proposal to study human behavior through a dedicated laboratory, linking criminology, education, and social science to practical reform.
This edition presents the premise and method in clear, actionable terms.
The book presents a plan to establish a laboratory for the study of the criminal, pauper, and defective classes. It argues that a large, instrumented study of individuals can uncover the causes of social ills and guide improvements in policy and practice. The material outlines the scientific approach, the kinds of data to collect, and the real-world work such a laboratory could undertake.
Included are sample measurement forms, descriptions of anthropometric and psycho-physiological testing, and discussions of how sociological data from schools, hospitals, and institutions might be gathered and analyzed. The text also surveys related debates, methods, and endorsements from scholars and medical associations of the era.
- Understand the proposed purpose and scope of a laboratory to study crime, poverty, and disability.
- See the kinds of data and instruments proposed for precise, large-scale study.
- Explore discussions of criminology, hypnotism, moral psychology, and social reform.
- Get a sense of the historical context, including expert endorsements and scholarly networks.
Ideal for readers interested in the roots of sociological research, criminology, and the history of scientific approaches to social problems.