We shall explain below how the followers of the Hormic theory apply the principles to education.
1. Emotion:
According to the Hormic psychology, it is the emotion which directs the mental energy to carry the co native phase of the behavior to its maximum limit. Thus the importance of emotion in the field of education is clear.
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The emotions should be so organized as to give the necessary mental energy to a socially desirable conduct. We often neglect the education of emotion and send out unbalanced personalities from the school.
2. Instincts:
The Hormic psychology views instincts as primary impulses to action. Education must take advantage of these primary impulses in order to modify the behavior of pupils. The instincts serve the base on which stands the mental structure of the individual
Instincts must be sublimated. Sublimation may be viewed as a process by which “the energies of our instinctive nature are utilized on higher planes of action than the instinctive.” The Hormic theory helps the sublimation of instincts by exposing the principles of sentiment formation.
Freudians have also advocated the need of sublimation in connection with all powerful sex instinct. By sublimating the instincts of ‘curiosity’ and ‘construction’ we can help an individual to become a scientist or inventor.
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Through games and proper studies the educator should try to sublimate pugnacity in order to create a real fighter, and a self- respecting, self-asserting personality. The Hormic psychology warns the educator that instincts are potential factors never to be neglected.
It further tells him that these are impulses to action which can be led ‘to transform a lower type of action to a much higher one like the psychoanalytic school, it reminds him that instincts should never be repressed but sublimated.
3. Cognitive, affective and co native aspects:
The three tendencies, cognitive, affective and co native, as explained by the Hormic theory, have a great social significance, McDougall has shown in his “Group mind that they cannot work in an individual, if he cuts himself off from society.”
It is in society that they are best developed. In the school which is a social group, there is ample opportunity for their fullest development The Hormic theory suggests that proportionate attention should be given to all the three aspects without sacrificing the one for the other
4. The self-regarding sentiment:
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In An Introduction to Social Psychology, McDougall speaks very highly of the ‘self regarding sentiment.’ To him, the ideal of education should be to create this master sentiment in the educated. This sentiment is formed from the concept ‘self.
The objects we are interested in have a reference to the individual self. Hence sentiments for all objects refer to ‘self and all of them become organized around the ‘self, forming the sentiment for self-regard.
The co native phases of our behavior are very much influenced by this master-sentiment which may decide our mental conflicts and show us the right path in the days of adversity. The Hormic theory appears to be advising the teacher to make special note of this fact.
5. Will:
The will is not an isolated mental force. It is ‘character in action according to Drever. “Will is the organized self in its dynamic aspect.” In his exposition of the Hormic theory McDougall has fully exported the nature of this “Organized Self’ and suggests that it can give force to weaker impulse in the time of mental conflict evidently, the education of the ‘Will’ will help the growth of self-regarding sentiment in the individual child.
6. Character:
The Hormic theory lays great stress on the nature of character. Character determines our social behavior. All our conations which refer to our good moral and social conduct are controlled by character. Hence it is a mental factor which lies at the root of all social behavior.
It is developed by social interactions. All this shows that one cannot be successful in life unless he possesses a good character.
The Hormic theory has rendered a very valuable service to mankind in analyzing the psychological elements that go to form one’s character. These elements should be especially considered in the education of an individual.
