Behavior: The Proof of Parkinson

In 1955, British Historian C. Northcote Parkinson puckishly formulated the basic law of bureaucracy that bears his name: work expands to fit the time at hand for doing it. Parkinson himself regarded his "law" as satire; inevitably, several American psychologists have decided to take it seriously. What is more, they have not only proved, at least to their own satisfaction, that the theory is true, but have extended it.

One of those investigators is Social Psychologist Elliot Aronson of the University of Texas, who became interested in the law after suffering through a Parkinsonian...