"On the whole, the psychological work of the last quarter of the nineteenth century emphasized the study of consciousness to the neglect of the total life of intellect and character"

This quote by Edward Thorndike is referring to the mental work of the late 19th century. Throughout this time, the focus of mental research study was on the research study of consciousness, which is the awareness of one's own thoughts and sensations. This concentrate on consciousness neglected the research study of the overall life of intelligence and character, that includes the research study of the mind, feelings, and behavior. Thorndike was important of this narrow concentrate on awareness, as he believed that it was necessary to study the total life of intelligence and character in order to get a much better understanding of the human mind. He argued that this broader method was required in order to gain a more extensive understanding of the human psyche. By studying the total life of intellect and character, researchers could gain a better understanding of how the mind works and how it affects behavior.