ABSTRACT

Every mental phenomenon is a psycho-physical one. In its physical aspects it is, in principle, just as measurable as any physical phenomenon. Measurement in such a case would result in confusion, owing to the impossibility of disentangling the various messages from one smother. The opinion corresponds to the position adopted by behaviourism and has induced many researchers to devise various methods for measuring psychical phenomena: psychophysics. Mental phenomena are private but may be made public, either by language or by some of their manifestations or effects. It is at this point that the notion of indicant is pertinent. As S. S. Stevens writes: Although psychologists devote much of their enthusiasm to the measurement of the psychological dimensions of people, they squander more of it in an, effort to assess the various aspects of behaviour. Some feel emotionally inclined to affirm it, while others, also for emotional reasons, are inclined to deny it.