ABSTRACT
As a result of the discussions reported in the previous chapter, the basic principles of an acceptable Communist science of behaviour had been stated. However, the action moved away from theoretical discussion during the period leading up to the Great Fatherland War of 1941–5: psychology continued to be taught in universities and other institutions, and research was carried on. But little was actually published and, at least until the outbreak of war, psychology seemed to play little part in the life of the nation. This was because many areas of psychology (social, industrial, forensic, attitude research, testing, etc.) were either forbidden or had been taken over by the political movements associated with Stakhanovitism and other forms of political activism.
The psychological research caried on until 1940 was confined to particular centres of interest – psychophysiology, neurology, thinking and speech. Animal psychology was also a major field of interest. Problems and methods tend to be seen from a single point of view. In clinical psychology treatments based on Pavlov’s theories were developed and certain active methods of dealing with psychoses were devised.
During the war period, psychologists were involved in rehabilitation – training of war-injured (especially brain-injured soldiers) and on other military problems.
