Part 41 (1/2)

(c) _Difficulty of hitting a distant mark_

PROCEDURE Say to the subject: ”_You know, do you not, what it un 'carries 100 yards'? It oes that far before it drops to airls more than a dozen years old understand this readily If the subject does not understand, we explain again what it iven distance When this part is clear, we proceed as follows: ”_Now, suppose aat a mark about the size of a quart can His rifle carries perfectly un is it any harder to hit the mark at 100 yards than it is at 50 yards?_” After the response is given, we ask the subject to explain

SCORING Simply to say that it would be easier at 50 yards is not sufficient, nor can we pass the response which merely states that it is ”easier to aiiven, one which shows the subject has appreciated the fact that a small deviation from the ”bull's-eye” at 50 yards, due to incorrect aier deviation at 100 yards However, the subject is not required to know that the deviation at 100 yards is exactly twice as great as at 50 yards A certain a is often necessary before we can decide whether the subject has the correct principle in mind

SCORING THE ENTIRE TEST _Two of the three problems_ must be solved in such a way as to satisfy the requirements above set forth

REMARKS These proble results, when properly given, but are not without their faults Sometimes a very superior subject fails, while occasionally an inferior subject unexpectedly succeeds On the whole, however the test correlates fairly ith e At the 14-year level less than 50 per cent pass; of ”average adults,” from 60 to 75 per cent are successful Few ”superior adults” fail

The test as here given is little influenced by the forh school In fact, 80 per cent of our uneducated business h-school juniors and seniors, passed the test Success probably depends in the main upon previous interest in physical relationshi+ps and upon the ability to understand phenomena of this kind which the subject has had opportunity to observe

It would be interesting to standardize a longer series of problened to test a subject's comprehension of common physical relationshi+ps In the first few months of life a norround Later he learns that fire burns; that birds fly in the air; that fish do not sink in the water; that water does not run uphill; that it is easy to lift a leg or arm as one lies prone in the water; thatwheel (and always in the sah the air swiftly isslowly; that it is y; that it is hard to run against a strong wind; that cyclones blon trees and houses; that a rapidly er wind than a slower train; that a feather falls through the air with less speed than a stone; that a falling object gainsobject is harder to stop than a light objectwater bursts pipes; that sounds soive echoes; that rainbows cannot be approached; that a laht; that by day the stars are not visible and the hts of an approaching auto; that if the roohted wemakes the heart beat faster and increases the rate of breathing; that if we are cold we can get war rapidly makes us dizzy; that heat or exercise will cause perspiration, etc

Although the causes of soent adults without some instruction, the facts themselves are learned by the norher the reater the curiosity, the more observant one is about such e such as we have mentioned could and should be standardized for varioustests of this kind we should, of course, have to look out for the influences of formal instruction

CHAPTER XX

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ”SUPERIOR ADULT”

SUPERIOR ADULT, 1: VOCABULARY (SEVENTY-FIVE DEFINITIONS, 13,500 WORDS)

PROCEDURE and SCORING, as in previous vocabulary tests At the ”superior adult” level seventy-five words should be known

The test is passed by only one third of those at the ”average adult”

level, but by about 90 per cent of ”superior adults” Ability to pass the test is relatively independent of the number of years the subject has attended school, our business h-school pupils

SUPERIOR ADULT, 2: BINET'S PAPER-CUTTING TEST

PROCEDURE Take a piece of paper about six inches square and say: ”_Watch carefully what I do See, I fold the paper this way_ (folding it once over in the ain in the les to the first fold) _Noill cut out a notch right here_” (indicating) At this point take scissors and cut out a small notch froe Throw the fragment which has been cut out into the waste-basket or under the table Leave the folded paper exposed to view, but pressed flat against the table Then give the subject a pencil and a second sheet of paper like the one already used and say: ”_Take this piece of paper andto sho the other sheet of paper would look if it were unfolded Draw lines to show the creases in the paper and shohat results fro_”

The subject is not permitted to fold the second sheet, but ination unaided

Note that we do not say, ”_Draw the holes_,” as this would inform the subject that more than one hole is expected

SCORING The test is passed _if the creases in the paper are properly represented, if the holes are drawn in the correct number, and if they are located correctly_, that is, both on the same crease and each about halfway between the center of the paper and the side The shape of the holes is disregarded

Failure ards the creases or the number and location of the holes, or it may involve any combination of the above errors

REMARKS Success seeination