Never Hold A Grudge

A good psychologist never holds a grudge, even after 26 years. This week, two of Harvard's behavioral science departments--Social Relations and Psychology--decided to kiss and make up reversing a 1946 decision to split.

In a show of brotherhood, the chairmen of the two departments will present a joint motion for merger at next Thursday's Faculty meeting, and both will resign in deference to a new chairman.

Edwin B. Newman, chairman of the Psychology Department, is confident the latest proposal will pass, but he is concerned over the complexity of the combined department. He thinks he has found the answer to Soc Rel's multifaceted nature, though, in Gardner E. Lindzey, the versatile psychologist who will head the combined department. Lindzey is presently vice president of the University of Texas.

Newman feels that Lindzey's biggest problem will be to design a department-wide program. "Soc Rel is broad and interdisciplinary, while Psychology is relatively specialized," Newman notes.

Until the department-wide program can be worked out, concentrators in both fields will be able to continue in present programs.

Infighting is nothing new to Soc Rel: Sociology concentrators used to travel the Soc Rel road to graduation, but after a bitter intradepartmental battle two years ago, Sociology severed official ties with Soc Rel.