Chapter 16

INTEREST

1. The nature of interest: Interest a selective agent--Interest supplies a subjective scale of values--Interest dynamic--Habit antagonistic to interest. 2. Direct and indirect interest: Interest in the end versus interest in the activity--Indirect interest as a motive--Indirect interest alone insufficient. 3. Transitoriness of certain interests: Interests must be utilized when they appear--The value of a strong interest. 4. Selection among our interests: The mistake of following too many interests--Interests may be too narrow--Specialization should not come too early--A proper balance to be sought. 5. Interest fundamental in education: Interest not antagonistic to effort--Interest and character. 6. Order of development of our interests: The interests of early childhood--The interests of later childhood--The interests of adolescence. 7. Problems in observation and introspection . . . . . . 254