The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard Review by: Gordon J. DiRenzo The American Catholic Sociological Review, Vol.

19, No. 4 (Dec., 1958), pp. 348-349 Published by: Oxford University Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3708275 . Accessed: 30/11/2011 01:23
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Oxford University Press and Association for the Sociology of Religion, Inc. are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The American Catholic Sociological Review.

http://www.jstor.org

348 tions

THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW

in business and on psychological forecasting. surveys from in the book arises the chapters The obscurity being for in them we find no account described as reports of seminars Rather of disagreement. of discussions, or points they appear at the Survey to be accounts of what the social psychologists to the businessmen. Research of their research Center reported in the separate for the There is little new material articles treated with the subjects it may although sociologist acquainted businessman. The research be helpful for the interested reported of American that is so very much tied to the structure society for being published that the justification presented by Unesco, seems dubious. to other countries, it is applicable Paul J. Reiss Milwaukee S, Wis. Marquette University, in the Behavioral Sciences. Methods By Thomas of Research New York: and Roy G. Francis. & C. McCormick Harper 1958. $4.50. Brothers, Pp. 237+Index. has again been added to that growing Something body of with the which deals with social science literature methodology, brief contribution. and Francis' The of McCormick appearance and work is along the lines of Chapin's Experimental Designs Tools of Social Science. Professor very much like John Madge's unfinished at the time of his death, was McCormick's effort, well with the style and con? who worked by Francis, completed considered are: The Choice tent of his former Topics professor. Methods of a Problem, and the Use of Design, Library Study Personal Information Ob? Documents; Measurement; Survey Tabulation and tained Sampling; by Interviews; Graphing; of Relationships; and the Research Tests and Measures Report. that this is an elementary If it is understood for presentation and then one can say that it is elearly the beginning student, stated. evenly in the behavioral There are many areas of research sciences which not mentioned techniques here, as in qualitative require of anthropology. in certain There field work are also aspects in quantitative works available ambitious method. One many which combines the descrip? hope for something day we might of McCormick and Francis with the depth tive techniques of it is a matter Sometimes Redfield's Little of need; Community. it is a controversial other times the role of problem regarding It was Redfield who said to this reviewer, method. "If you have will follow." a great idea, the method Allen Spitzer Saint Louis 3, Mo. Louis Saint University, Persuaders. Hidden Packard. New York: David By Vance 1957. McKay Company, Pp. viii+275. $4.00. The growing of an age of motive and appearance analysis evidences motive a new vista of research for social manipulation The

THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW

349

for the layman, Packard has psychologists. Writing primarily a light treatment re? of the success of motivational presented which has evolved into a multi-million dollar industry. search, Social of every kind, but particularly and scientists sociologists for which they have found a new field of endeavor psychologists, are hiring as consultants and quasi-merchanout themselves disers. motivational research is mass Essentially, "psychoanalysis" the unconscious of the public in search of the hidden probing motives for which people make one selection rather than another, in their role as consumers. The ultimate intent is particularly to appeal directly to these hidden motives techniques by disguised of mass media presentations. in the field of of this depth approach Widespread acceptance has netted its adoption areas of in more personal advertising human behavior such as the political sphere where motive appeal has somersaulted into attempted motive manipulation. Packard has spread data throughout his work in sociological a very liberal in good measure on some of the fashion, relying more prominent individuals in the field, such as Whyte, Warner, and Pareto. interest in this Of particular Riesman, Stouffer, is the role of social class and social caste. phenomenon While some of the findings of motivational research may be with a claim that they appear to be modern rejected presenta? tions of certain of Freud's the greater contributions, original In retropart of the data is substantiated findings. by current Packard raises the very question of validity, spect to his analysis, more significant issue relative to the morality pursued by another of this type of research and its application. allied Interesting for courses in social reading psychology. J. DiRenzo Gordon N. Y. College of Saint Rose, Albany, The Population Ahead. Edited by Roy G. Francis. Minneapolis: of Minnesota 1958. University Press, Pp. v+160. $3.75. The Second on Population held at the Symposium Problems, of Minnesota in 1957, brought such special? University together ists as Pascal K. Whelpton of the Scripps Frederick Foundation, Osborn of the Population Ancel Keys of Minnesota UniCouncil, Jan 0. M. Broeck, versity's Physiological Hygiene Laboratory, Professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota, Robert F. Spencer of Minnesota's Karl Sax Anthropology Department, of Harvard's Edward S. Deevey of Yale's Biology Department, Osborn and Arnold C. Harberger of the Zoological Laboratory, of Chicago's Economics University Department. The Population Ahead the papers deliver ed by this presents team of specialists the symposium, as interdisciplinary during ? Warren well as the comments of the five discussants Thomp? Sheldon Alex and Dwight son, Philip Raup, Reed, Weingrod, Minnich. Discussions the symposium centered about the during