A Psychology of Gesture. By Charlotte Wolff. Translated by Ann
Tennant. Illustrated. (Methuen. 16s.)
THE thesis that A Psychology of Gesture sets out somewha Laboriously to prove can be summed up in the everyday obserra tion that "Nervy people are fidgetty." In so far as it shows who sorts of fidgets go with what sorts of neurotic disturbance, it mak. some contribution to psychological research, although the mos
interesting observations are those that refer to the author's previou work on the human hand. Not much is made of the factor (besides the psychological) that contribute to the shape of th hand, its markings and its movements, such as heredity and occupa tion ; and we might with advantage have heard more of natio and racial variation, in the use of gesture. The photographs at th end of the book give practical illustrations of Dr. Wolff's theorie but she says nothing to allow for the unnatural postures into whic photographers often force their victims : snapshots or film "stiTh T.T.2i4.S. would have provided more valld data.
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