Abstract

This paper argues that during the 20th century the dispositive of guilt (which operates with the principal distinction permitted/forbidden) is restructured as a dispositive of aptitude, which relies on the principal distinction able/not able. In this context, the (applied psychology), which emerges at the turn of the century and the technologies of examination it developed play a significant role. This can be demonstrated with reference to the works of William Stern (selection of students), Hugo Münsterberg (work psychology) and Kurt Lewin (social management). Furthermore, it can be shown that the dispositive of ability can also integrate those psychological techniques that originally were not conceived for ability testing.