Part 31 (1/2)

The reading of the subnormal subject bears a close a.n.a.logy to the reading of nonsense matter by the normal person. It has been ascertained by experiment that such reading requires about twice as much time as the reading of connected matter. This is true for the reason that out of thousands of a.s.sociations possible with each word, no particular a.s.sociation is favored. The apperceptive expectancy, practically _nil_ in the reading of nonsense material, must be decidedly deficient in all poor reading.

Furthermore, in the case of the ordinary reader there is a feeling of rightness or wrongness about the thought sequences. That less intelligent subjects have this sense of fitness to a much less degree is evidenced by their pa.s.sing over words so mutilated in p.r.o.nunciation as to deprive them of all meaning. The transposition of letters and words, and the failure to observe marks of punctuation, point to the same thing. In other words, all the reading of the stupid subject is with material which to him is more or less nonsensical.[66]

[66] See ”Genius and Stupidity,” by Lewis M. Terman, in _Pedagogical Seminary_, September, 1906, p. 340 _ff._

A little observation will convince one that mentally r.e.t.a.r.ded subjects, even when they possess a reasonable degree of fluency in recognizing printed words, do not sense shades of meaning. Their reading is by small units. Words and phrases do not fuse into one mental content, but remain relatively unconnected. The expression is monotonous and the voice has more of the unnatural ”schoolroom” pitch. They read more slowly, more often misplace the emphasis, and miscall more words. In short, one who has psychological insight and is acquainted with reading standards can easily detect the symptoms of intellectual inferiority by hearing a dull subject read a brief selection.

The giving of memories is also significant. Feeble-minded adults who have been well schooled are sometimes able to read the words of the text fairly fluently, but are usually unable to give more than a scanty report of what has been read. The scope of attention has been exhausted in the mere recognition and p.r.o.nouncing of words. In general, the greater the mechanical difficulties which a subject encounters, the less adequate is his report of memories.

The test has, however, one real fault. School children have a certain advantage in it over older persons _of the same mental age_ whose school experience is less recent. Adult subjects tend to give their report in less literal form. It is necessary, therefore, to give credit for the reproduction of the ideas of the pa.s.sage rather than for strictly literal ”memories.”

The selection we have used is, with minor changes, the same as Binet's.

His selection was divided into nineteen memories. The one here given has twenty-one memories. Binet used the test both in year VIII and year IX, requiring two memories at year VIII and six memories at year IX. When we require eight memories, as we have done, the test becomes difficult enough for non-selected school children of 10 years. Location in year X seems preferable, because it insures that the child will almost certainly have had the schooling requisite for learning to read a selection of this difficulty, even if he has started to school at a later age than is customary. Naturally, placing the test higher in the scale makes it more a test of report and less a test of ability to recognize and p.r.o.nounce printed words.

X, 5. COMPREHENSION, FOURTH DEGREE

The questions for this year are:--

(a) ”_What ought you to say when some one asks your opinion about a person you don't know very well?_”

(b) ”_What ought you to do before undertaking (beginning) something very important?_”

(c) ”_Why should we judge a person more by his actions than by his words?_”

The PROCEDURE is the same as for the previous comprehension tests. Each question may be repeated, but its form must not be changed. It is not permissible to make any explanation whatever as to the meaning of the question, except to subst.i.tute _beginning_ for _undertaking_ when (b) seems not to be comprehended.

SCORING. _Two out of the three_ questions must be answered satisfactorily. Study of the following cla.s.sified responses should make scoring fairly easy in most cases:--

(a) _When some one asks your opinion_

_Satisfactory._ ”I would say I don't know him very well”

(42 per cent of the correct answers). ”Tell him what I know and no more” (34 per cent of correct answers). ”I would say that I'd rather not express any opinion about him” (20 per cent of the correct answers). ”Tell him to ask some one else.” ”I would not express any opinion.”

_Unsatisfactory._ Unsatisfactory responses are due either to failure to grasp the import of the question, or to inability to suggest the appropriate action demanded by the situation.

The latter form of failure is the more common; e.g.: ”I'd say they are nice.” ”Say you like them.” ”Say what I think.” ”Say it's none of their business.” ”Tell them I mind my own business.” ”Say I would get acquainted with them.” ”Say that I don't talk about people.” ”Say I didn't know how he looked.”

”Tell them you ought not to say such things; you might get into trouble.” ”I wouldn't say anything.” ”I would try to answer.”

”Say I did not know his name,” etc.

The following are samples of failure due to mistaking the import of the question: ”I'd say, 'How do you do?'” ”Say,'I'm glad to meet you.'”

(b) _Before undertaking something important_

_Satisfactory responses_ fall into the following cla.s.ses:-- (1) Brief statement of preliminary consideration; as: ”Think about it.” ”Look it over.” ”Plan it all out.” ”Make your plans.” ”Stop and think,” etc.

(2) Special emphasis on preliminary preparation and correct procedure; as: ”Find out the best way to do it.” ”Find out what it is.” ”Get everything ready.” ”Do every little thing that would help you.” ”Get all the details you can.” ”Take your time and figure it out,” etc.

(3) Asking help; as: ”Ask some one to help you who knows all about it.” ”Pray, if you are a Christian.” ”Ask advice,”

etc.

(4) Preliminary testing of ability, self-a.n.a.lysis, etc.; as: ”Try something easier first.” ”Practice and make sure I could do it.” ”Learn how to do it,” etc.

(5) Consider the wisdom or propriety of doing it: ”Think whether it would be best to do it.” ”See whether it would be possible.”

About 65 per cent of the correct responses belong either to group (1) or (2), about 20 per cent to group (3), and most of the remainder to group (4).

_Unsatisfactory responses_ are of the following types:-- (1) Due to mistaking the import of the question; e.g.: ”Ask for it.” ”Ought to say please.” ”Ask whose it is.” Replies of this kind can be nearly all eliminated by repeating the question, using _beginning_ instead of _undertaking_.