ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes some of the rhetorical ventures of the so-called New Psychologists who at the turn of our century strove to institutionalize a new science and to create a new set of professional roles. It focuses on what persuaded the first generation of American psychologists to take an interest in the New Psychology. The chapter also focuses on the arguments these aspiring psychologists presented to university presidents and trustees to insure that they could pursue their interest within particularly institutional settings. It discusses the arguments they put forth against the rights of other persons to engage in similar, competing pursuits. The chapter suggests that the rhetorical contexts and activities help to explain why Americans have so often been persuaded and assuaged by modern psychology, and why the role of communication and persuasion in the establishment of academic disciplines deserves increased attention.
