The Science of Human Nature Part 16

=The Results.= The material for the test is divided into units as indicated by the vertical lines. The pupil's written reproduction should be compared unit by unit with the story as printed, and given one credit for each unit adequately reproduced. The norms for the three tests are shown in the accompanying Figures VII, VIII, and IX. In these and all the graphs which follow, the actual ages are shown in the first horizontal column. The norms for girls appear in the second horizontal column, the norms for boys in the column at the bottom. By the _norm_ for an age is meant the average performance of all the pupils of that age examined. Age ten applies to those pupils who have pa.s.sed their tenth birthday and have not reached their eleventh birthday, and the other ages are to be similarly interpreted. The vertical lines in the graphs indicate birthdays and the scores written on these lines indicate ability at these exact ages. The column marked ten, for example, includes all the children that are over ten and not yet eleven. The graphs show the development from age to age. In general, it will be noticed, there is an improvement of memory with age, but in the high school, in the "Costly Temper" test, there is a decline. This may not indicate a real decline in ability to remember ideas, but a change in att.i.tude. The high school pupil probably acquires a habit of remembering only significant facts. His memory is selective, while in the earlier ages, the memory may be more parrot-like, one idea being reproduced with about as much fidelity as another. This statement is made not as a _fact_, but as a _probable_ explanation.

ROTE MEMORY

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE IX--LOGICAL MEMORY--"A COSTLY TEMPER"]

=Object.= The object of the rote memory tests is to determine the pupil's memory span for unrelated impressions--words that have no logical relations with one another. Much school work makes demands upon this ability. Therefore, the tests are of importance.

=Method.= There are two lists of words, _concrete_ and _abstract_, with six groups in each list. The list of concrete words should be given first, then the abstract. The procedure is to p.r.o.nounce the first group, _cat_, _tree_, _coat_, and then pause for the pupils to write these three words. Then p.r.o.nounce the next group, _mule_, _bird_, _cart_, _gla.s.s_, and pause for the reproduction, and so on through the list.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE X--CONCRETE ROTE MEMORY]

Give the following instructions:

We wish to see how well you can remember words. I shall p.r.o.nounce first a group of three words. _After_ I have p.r.o.nounced them, you are to write them down. I shall then p.r.o.nounce a group of four words, then one of five words, and so continue with a longer group each time. You must pay very close attention for I shall p.r.o.nounce a group but once. You are not required to write the words in their order, but just as you recall them.

=Material.= The words for the test are given in the following lists:

_Concrete_ _Abstract_

1. cat, tree, coat 1. good, black, fast 2. mule, bird, cart, gla.s.s 2. clean, tall, round, hot 3. star, horse, dress, fence, man 3. long, wet, fierce, white, cold 4. fish, sun, head, door, shoe, 4. deep, soft, quick, dark, great, block dead 5. train, mill, box, desk, oil, 5. sad, strong, hard, bright, pup, bill fine, glad, plain 6. floor, car, pipe, bridge, hand, 6. sharp, late, sour, wide, rough, dirt, cow, crank thick, red, tight

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE XI--ABSTRACT ROTE MEMORY]

=Results.= The papers are graded by determining the number of concrete words and the number of abstract words that are reproduced. No account is taken of whether the words are in the right position or not. A perfect score in each test would therefore be thirty-three. The norms are shown in Figures X and XI.

THE SUBSt.i.tUTION TEST

=Object.= This test determines one's ability to build up new a.s.sociations.

It is a test of quickness of learning.

=Method.= The subst.i.tution test-sheets are distributed to the pupils and turned face down on the desks. The teacher gives the following instructions:

We wish to see how fast you can learn. At the top of the sheet which has been distributed to you there is a key. In nine circles are written the nine digits and for each digit there is written a letter which is to be used instead of the digit. Below the key are two columns of numbers; each number contains five digits. In the five squares which follow the number you are to write the letters which correspond to the digits. Work as fast as you can and fill as many of the squares as you can without making mistakes. When I say "stop," quit work instantly and turn the paper over.

Before beginning the test the teacher should explain on the blackboard the exact nature of the test. This can be done by using other letters instead of those used in the key. Make sure that the pupils understand what they are to do. Allow _eight_ minutes in grades three, four, and five, and _five_ minutes above the fifth grade.

=Material.= For material, use the subst.i.tution test-sheets. This and the other test material can be obtained from the University of Missouri, Extension Division.

=Results.= In grading the work, count each square correctly filled in as one point, and reduce the score to speed per minute by dividing by eight in grades three, four, and five, and by five in the grades above.

The norms are shown in Figure XII.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE XII--SUBSt.i.tUTION TEST]

FREE a.s.sOCIATION

=Object.= This test determines the speed of the free flow of ideas. The result of the test is a criterion of the quickness of the flow of ideas when no restriction or limitation is put on this flow.

=Method.= The procedure in this test is to give the pupils a word, and tell them to write this word down and all the other words that come into their minds. Make it clear to them that they are to write whatever word comes to mind, whether it has any relation to the word that is given them or not. Start them with the word "cloud." Give the following instructions:

I wish to see how many words you can think of and write down in three minutes. I shall name a word, you may write it down and then all the other words that come into your minds. Do not write sentences, merely the words that come into your minds. Work as fast as you can.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE XIII--FREE a.s.sOCIATION TEST]

=Results.= Score the work by counting the number of words that have been written. The norms are shown in Figure XIII.

OPPOSITES

=Object.= This is a test of controlled a.s.sociation. It tests one aspect of the a.s.sociation of ideas. All thinking is a matter of a.s.sociation of ideas. Reasoning is controlled a.s.sociation. The test may therefore be taken as a measure of speed in reasoning.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE XIV--OPPOSITES TEST--LISTS I AND II]

=Method.= Distribute the lists of opposites to the pupils and turn them face down on the desks. Use List One in grades three, four, and five, and List Two in grades above. Allow two minutes in grades three, four, and five and one minute in grades above. Give the following instructions:

On the sheets that have been distributed to you are fifty words.

After each word you are to write a word that has the opposite meaning. For example, if one word were "far," you could write "near." Work as fast as you can, and when I say "stop" quit work instantly and turn your paper over.

=Results.= The score is the number of opposites correctly written. The norms are shown in Figure XIV.

OPPOSITES--LIST NO. 1

1. good 18. up 35. before 2. big 19. thick 36. winter 3. rich 20. quick 37. ripe 4. out 21. pretty 38. night 5. sick 22. heavy 39. open 6. hot 23. late 40. first 7. long 24. wrong 41. over 8. wet 25. smooth 42. love 9. yes 26. strong 43. come 10. high 27. dark 44. east 11. hard 28. dead 45. top 12. sweet 29. wide 46. wise 13. clean 30. empty 47. front 14. sharp 31. above 48. girl 15. fast 32. north 49. sad 16. black 33. laugh 50. fat 17. old 34. man

OPPOSITES--LIST NO. 2

1. strong 18. strange 35. fine 2. deep 19. wrong 36. plain 3. lazy 20. quickly 37. sharp 4. seldom 21. black 38. late 5. thin 22. good 39. sour 6. soft 23. fast 40. wide 7. many 24. clean 41. drunk 8. valuable 25. tall 42. tight 9. gloomy 26. hot 43. empty 10. rude 27. long 44. sick 11. dark 28. wet 45. friend 12. rough 29. fierce 46. above 13. pretty 30. great 47. loud 14. high 31. dead 48. war 15. foolish 32. cloudy 49. in 16. present 33. hard 50. yes 17. glad 34. bright

THE WORD-BUILDING TEST

=Object.= This is a test of a certain type of inventiveness, namely linguistic invention. Specifically, it tests the pupil's ability to construct words using certain prescribed letters.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE XV--WORD-BUILDING TEST]

=Method.= The pupils are given the letters, _a_, _e_, _o_, _m_, _n_, _r_, and told to make as many words as possible using only these letters.

Give the following instructions:

I wish to see how many words you can make in five minutes, using only the letters which I give you. The words must be real English words. You must use only the letters which I give you and must not use the same letter more than once in the same word. You do not, of course, have to use all the letters in the same word. A word may contain one or more letters up to six.

=Material.= The pupils need only sheets of blank paper.

=Results.= The score is the number of words that do not violate the rules of the test as given in the instructions. The norms are shown in Figure XV.