Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 2

At the turn of the twentieth century Harvard opened Emerson Hall, a purpose‑built home for philosophy and psychology that quickly became a national landmark. The building houses spacious lecture rooms, a dedicated library wing, and a multi‑level laboratory equipped with dozens of experimental chambers. Listeners will be guided through the vision that shaped this new hub and the early ambitions of its founders.

The laboratory’s story begins with William James, who introduced experimental methods to his courses in the early 1890s and assembled a modest collection of sensory‑testing equipment. Over the years the space expanded, new instruments arrived, and a distinctive training model emerged—students split their time between conducting their own investigations and assisting on several others, ensuring a broad, hands‑on experience. This volume captures the evolution of those facilities, the collaborative spirit of the researchers, and the pioneering experiments that laid groundwork for modern psychology.