ABSTRACT
Psychological science is truly a wonder-child of the 20th century. From its bare beginnings a little over a century ago it has now become a fixed planet in the Western firmament of knowledge. In terms of its growth-whether in numbers of advanced degrees, journal contributions, grant funds, curricula offerings, or national expenditures for mental health-the increase has been exponential. We may look upon our legacy with pride, and judging from the recent publication of the International Handbook of Psychology, we may anticipate an equally promising, globally successful future. At least, this is one story. It is also a story from which I myself drew nourishment during the fledgling years of my career. I found great joy in creating logically tight experimental designs, manipulating and controlling variables, exploring the potentials of statistical procedures to yield those all-important levels of significance-and sensing all the while that not only would positive results give me a notch up in my career, they would also increase the potential of securing grant support, and might just possibly be useful to society more generally.
