1 6 TH E M I N D O F TH E BUYE R
This was a typic al psychologic al experiment, conforming
to ou r formulation abo ve.
a. W e made an observation, surrounding it with all the
care possible.
b. We rep eated the observation, being care ful to maintain
conditions unchanged. A nd o ur measu res were fairly co n
sistent. B y foll owing ou r p rocedure another experimenter
will secu re p ractically the same results.
c. We a rranged conditions so that we might observe
merely o ne facto r about the line—the effect o f position upon
apparent length. We is o la ted that factor, disregarding e f
fect of position up on apparent thickness, brightness, etc.
d. A gain we a rranged conditions so that had we wishe d
we might have varied our observations, slanting the line first
at thi rty degrees, then at sixty.
c. Lastly, we measured the e ffects and stated ou r co n
elusion in quantitative terms.
Three forms o f scientific metho d. We may
apply th e experi me n tal ( scien tific ) meth od
to p robl ems of selling i n th ree forms :(^1). “ St a tistical inve sti ga ti on o f re turns.
W e m ay a rrange condi ti on s in a selling c am
paign so th at th e re turn s may b e m ea sure d.
B y suc ce ssive trial s of difi erent m e th od s an d
c ompa ri sons b etwe en re tu rns, w e may deter
mine which m etho d is th e most efiectiv e.
Good exampl es of this in th e fi el d of adverti s
i ng a re furnish e d by Sh ryer.
Thi s sci entific “ i nvestiga tion of ret urns
h o wever desi rabl e i t may b e, i s many times
no t feasibl e. Th e re turn s from m any sal es