The Behavioural Sciences: Their Potential and Limitations

There is widespread non‐understanding of the nature, possibilities and limitations of behavioural science among managements and trade unions. There is also considerable misunderstanding — indeed suspicion — between the three parties to behavioural‐science‐in‐industry contracts — the behavioural scientist, the manager and the trade unionist — about the motives for conducting studies and the methods of managing both scientific work in progress and the implementation of results. This lack of clarity among industrialists, incidentally, is by no means only their fault; their confidence has been known to be tricked by behavioural scientists who, for instance, make excessive claims for their product or transgress agreements by failing to provide expected feedback or infringing the principle of confidentiality.